Search Results

1972 Presidential Campaign Investigation Based on Attitude Measurements of Candidate Images
The relationship of attitude measurement with the political campaign process provides the problem area that this study considers. The purpose of this political communication study is to explore in detail and describe various "attitude" profiles of voters and resulting candidate "images" of the 1972 presidential election. These "attitudes" and "images" are determined through the use of three primary research instruments: the semantic differential scale, the Method of Ordered Alternatives, and the political philosophy continuum. In addition to these, a record of actual voting behavior serves as validating support of the measured attitudes. This study deals with "attitudes" toward and candidate "images" of George McGovern, R. Sargent Shriver, Richard M. Nixon, and Spiro T. Agnew, the Democratic and Republican candidates for President and Vice-President in 1972. This descriptive investigation unfolds into three major problem areas: 1. to report and describe "panoramic images" of Nixon,. McGovern, Agnew, and Shriver, as measured by the semantic differential scale. 2. to give an account of voter preferred positions A through I as measured by the Method of Ordered Alternatives in connection with "attitude" as measured by the evaluative factor of the semantic differential scale, and subsequently aligned with actual voting behavior. 3. to determine the relationship between voters' own political philosophies and their perceived political philosophies of the four candidates as measured by the political philosophy continuum. The remainder of this chapter overviews the historical mileau of the 1972 presidential campaign, explains the research design and procedures, and offers an organizational preview of the remaining five chapters.
The Adventist Movement in Trinidad: A Case-Study in Intercultural Communication
The problem with which this study is concerned is that of devising methods to assist teachers of Christianity in reaching and attracting a fast-growing and enlightened country. The Adventist church, along with other churches, is being challenged in communicating its message to a populace consisting of varied ethnic groups. This investigation has a two-fold purpose: (1) to study intercultural communications in order to locate principles which are applicable to missionary endeavors, and (2) to place these principles at the disposal of missionary personnel for their selective use in disseminating the beliefs of Christianity.
An Analysis and Comparison of Infant's Speech with their Mother's Speech
The present study is an investigation of certain aspects of the relationship which exists between the development of language of a child and the speech of his mother. An attempt was made to investigate the evolving speech pattern of the child as he is influenced by the speech patterns of his mother. Can one determine the age at which infants begin to develop speech similar to the speech patterns (intonation, phonemic content, distinctive feature content, place and manner of articulation) of their mother's speech?
An Analysis and Evaluation of the Acting Career of Tallulah Bankhead
This thesis is an evaluation of the acting career of Tallulah Bankhead with some analysis of the roles she played.
An Analysis and Production Book for a Contemporary Staging of Irwin Shaw's Bury the Dead
The problem of this thesis is concerned with the directing and producing of a 1936 peace play, Bury the Dead, by Irwin Shaw. The production attempts to heighten the relevancy of the play to modern audiences. The project experiments with applying contemporary machines and techniques to a dated script containing realistic dialogue, a dualistic point of view, and a surrealistic idea of dead soldiers rising from their graves. The task generates a particular responsibility and challenge in that the use of contemporary machinery must be carefully chosen in such a way that it does not interfere with the message of the play.
An Analysis and Production Book for a Staging of Jerry Bock's and Sheldon Harnick's The Apple Tree
The problem with which this study is concerned is that of critically analyzing and producing the musical comedy The Apple Tree. The study attempts to adapt some of the major unifying elements of this production and, in addition, unite the show through the use of color. The study also attempts to update the production through an extension of symbolism based on the style of Peter Max; to produce a major musical comedy in a stylized and symbolic style, and to show how a stylized and symbolic method of production can be used to achieve simplicity and unity within the confines of a limited budget.
An Analysis and Production Book for a Staging of Samuel Spewack's Under the Sycamore Tree
It is the purpose of this study to (1) produce a play in an expressionistic style; (2) submit a thesis of analysis; and (3) present the thesis in such a way as to show that an expressionistic style can be applied to a play written for the professional stage in a creative, artistic manner.
An Analysis and Staging of Burnt Offering, an Original Play by Beverly McIntosh
The problem with which this study is concerned is that of directing and producing an original play. The study attempts to take an original script which contains very little indication of setting, description of character, or stage direction, and establish workable patterns of interpretation and action, all of which are consistent and compatible with the central theme and idea of the script. The task generates a particular responsibility and challenge in that the experiment is happening for the first time.
An Analysis of Acitational Characteristics in the Species of Stokely Carmichael
In this study, six speeches delivered by Stokely Carmichael, during and immediately following his role as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, have been analyzed to determine if, and in what ways, Carmichael used the elements of agitational rhetoric.
An Analysis of Attitudes toward the Role of the PTA and its Communication of Goals and Programs
The purpose of this study is to examine some aspects the Parent Teacher Association through designing a questionnaire, administering it to individuals involved to some degree in the organization, evaluating the data received, and then making knowledgeable observations about it. The specific aspects to be examined are its role and its communication of goals and programs as seen by several groups. Although the scope is limited to the Texas PTA, attitudes toward PTA in general are reflected in the responses.
An Analysis of Invention in Selected Speeches by Sam Rayburn
This thesis will give primary attention to an analysis of invention in selected congressional, campaign, and ceremonial speeches of Sam Rayburn. Such an analysis should reveal the most common modes of persuasion used by the man.
An Analysis of the Methods and Effectiveness of the Downward Flow of Communications at Texas Instruments Incorporated
This study is for the purpose of identifying the flow of internal downward communication and its effectiveness in a particular large industry, Texas Instruments Incorporated. Specifically, the following questions are examined in this study: (1) Has information which has been sent down by top management been spread to all levels, and is it being understood? (2) Are employees at all levels receiving the information they desire and sometimes need for their work? (3) For different types of subject matter, what channels are being used to transmit messages down the system, and are they effective mediums?
An Analysis of the Old Testament Prophetic Elements in the Speeches of Martin Luther King, Jr.
This study analyzes five speeches delivered by Martin Luther King, Jr. to determine the ways in which King used the elements of prophetic rhetoric. It examines the major Old Testament prophets, Amos and Ezekiel specifically, for parallels in the following areas: (1) the life, personality, and spiritual calling of the prophet, (2) the language, prophecies, and central themes of the prophet's message, and (3) the historical period in which the prophet lived and the events that created a need for the rhetoric of prophecy.
An Analysis of the Texas University Interscholastic League One-Act Play Directors as Drama Teachers
The purpose of this study is to determine (1) what training is recommended for high school teachers of drama, (2) what training the high school teachers of drama actually have, (3) what job situation is recommended for the high school teacher of drama, and (4) what job situation the high school teachers of drama in the State of Texas actually have. This study should determine if there is a significant relationship between what a high school drama teacher should be and what the high school drama teachers of Texas actually are.
An Analysis of Three Modes of Group Interpretation in the Speech Arts Curriculum
Four objectives guided the research and writing of this thesis. First, there was an attempt to identify and establish specific educational goals for a group interpretation production. Second, there was an effort to describe certain procedures for selecting, adapting, arranging, and presenting a piece of literature to an audience through a group interpretation performance. Third, this thesis attempted to relate the three modes of group interpretation—Choric Interpretation, Readers Theatre, and Chamber Theatre—as a single art form. Fourth, there has been an attempt to suggest specific evaluative criteria and evaluation sheets for group interpretation performances.
An Audiometric Comparison of the Results of Total Stapedectomy and Partial Stapedectomy Techniques of Stapes Surgery for Otoselerosis
The purpose of this study is to compare the audiometric results of two variations of the stapedectomy procedure: the partial stapedectomy as performed by Hough, and the total stapedectomy as performed by Schuknecht and House.
Auditory Function in Patients with Sickle Cell Anemia
This study investigated the incidence of peripheral hearing loss in sickle cell anemia and the possibility of central auditory nervous system involvement. Nine Black subjects with sickle cell disease and nine with normal hemoglobin were administered an auditory test battery. There appeared to be no correlation between number of crisis episodes, duration of symptoms, severity of symptoms, and audiologic manifestations. Acoustic reflex testing suggested the possibility of "aired neural function in the sickle cell group. Whether impaired function was due to peripheral VIIIth nerve or to central brain stem involvement could not be determined. Results of the central auditory test battery suggested the possibility of impaired or reduced central auditory function in subjects with sickle cell anemia.
A Burkeian Analysis of Tennessee Williams' The Night of the Iguana
The purpose of this study is to apply Kenneth Burke's dramatistic method' of analysis to Tennessee Williams' play The Night of the Iguana.
A Burkeian Analysis of the Crimean War Speeches of John Bright
This study investigates the motives behind the rhetorical strategies of rejection and acceptance used by John Bright in his four Parliamentary speeches opposing the Crimean War. Kenneth Burke's dramatistic pentad was used to evaluate the four speeches. An examination of the pentad's five elements reveals that Bright had six motives for opposing the war. To achieve his purpose in giving the speeches--to restore peace to England and the world--Bright' used the major rhetorical agencies of rejection and acceptance. Bright's act, his selection of agencies, and his purpose were all definitely influenced by the scene in which they occurred.
A Burkeian Analysis of the Rhetoric of Gloria Steinem
The purpose of this study has been to analyze the rhetoric of Gloria Steinem in order to determine how she uses identification in her attempts to unify the members of the Women's Liberation Movement and to enlist the cooperation of others outside the movement. The rhetorical theory and concepts of identification and consubstantiality developed by Kenneth Burke, literary and rhetorical critic, have been used in this study. The representative examples of Steinem's rhetoric which have been analyzed include a speech made at Southern Methodist University on February 3, 1972, Steinem's feature article "Sisterhood," which was published in the 1972 Spring Preview Issue of Ms. magazine, and a speech made by Steinem at the opening session of the National Women's Political Caucus in Houston, Texas, on February 9, 1973. This study has revealed Gloria Steinem to be, during the years from 1967 until the present time, a vital spokeswoman for the Women's Liberation Movement. The means through which Steinem chose to combat the oppression of women was rhetoric. The three examples of Steinem's rhetoric analyzed in this study indicate that her basic premise concerns the long-standing subjugation and exploitation of women by the ruling class -- white males.
A Burkeian Analysis of the Rhetoric of Malcolm X during the Last Phase of his Life, June 1964-February 1965
The purpose of the study has been to analyze the rhetoric of Malcolm X with Kenneth Burke's dramatistic pentad in order to gain a better understanding of Malcolm X's rhetorical strategies in providing answers to given situations. One speech, determined to be typical of Malcolm X during the last phase of his life, was chosen for the analysis. It was the speech delivered on December 20, 1964, during the visit of Mrs. Fannie Lou Hamer, Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party candidate for the Senate.
A Case Study in Interpersonal Communication Training
The purpose of this study was to attempt to observe and quantify some of the effects of an experiential interpersonal communication training program on the individuals involved. The program studied was Speech 360, a laboratory communication course offered at North Texas State University. The design of the study involved three basic student groups -- a.) the fall 1970 Speech 360 students; b.) the Spring 1971 Speech 360 students; and c.) a control group of students similar to those in the course, but who were not involved in the training program.
Characterization and Structure in the Playwriting of Brendan Behan
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of determining a stylistic relationship between the playwriting techniques of Brendan Behan and those of accepted models, both traditional and modern. The approach is divided into two avenues of research. The first is that of establishing a historical perspective for the style of Behan's dramaturgy; the second is that of comparing the reactions to Behan's work by his contemporary critics. The purpose of this study is to analyze the playwriting techniques of Brendan Behan, giving particular emphasis to his methods of characterization and structure. This analysis is not an attempt to evaluate Behan's effectiveness or skill as a playwright. It is, instead, in the form of a comparison-and-contrast report which attempts to present antithetical ideas of playwriting and to arrive, finally, at a synthesis of critical opinion concerning Behan's methods of play construction.
Communicating Christianity to the Ashanti Tribe: A Study in Cross-Cultural Communication
The problem with which this study is concerned is that of identifying the significant variables involved in cross-cultural communication and applying these concepts in communicating the Christian faith to Ashanti tribe members of central Ghana in West Africa.
A Comparative Study of the Principles of Foreign Language-English Dialect Training for the Stage
This thesis presents the results of a study of printed material concerning the use of a foreign language-English dialect for the stage, gathering its information from printed sources, old and new, that are available to help the director of a dialect play.
Comparison of Certain Test Results of Indivduals Demonstrating a Type I Bekesy Pattern in the Presence of a Sensori-neural Hearing Impairment
The purpose of this study is to determine if significant audio-metric characteristics exist in individuals having cochlear lesions who trace a Bekesy pattern characteristic of individuals with normal hearing or conductive losses.
A Comparison of Results of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities and Certain Other Tests Used in Evaluating Children with Learning Disabilities
The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities, including its subtests and total test scores, can be used reliably as predictors of achievement on other tests used in the diagnosis of language disorders in children.
A Comparison of the Staging of the Passion Plays of Oberammergau, Germany, and Mount Oberammergau, U.S.A.
The purpose of this study is to compare the staging of the Passion Play of Oberammergau, Germany, with the staging of The Great Passion Play on Mount Oberammergau, Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Source material includes literary writings of the century concerning Passion plays, interview with the directors of both productions, and eyewitness accounts of the 1970 producation in Germany and the 1970, 1971 producations in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, U.S.A. Photographs of actors and scenes from both productions are used throughout the thesis.
The Contributions of Gordon McLendon to the Broadcast Profession
The purpose of this study is to describe Gordon McLendon's contributions to the broadcast profession and to explain why he is regarded as a leader of that profession. There has been no effort to provide a unified statement of the contributions made by him to the broadcast profession. To provide a complete picture of McLendon's contributions to the broadcast profession, an account is needed of his various innovations and activities.
Cutting and Adapting Prose and Poetry for Oral Interpretation
The purpose of this study is to devise a method of developing competency in the cutting and adaptation of prose and poetry for oral interpretation. This method is a pervasive element of the thesis and consists of (1) general principles derived from theories expressed by both interpretation and literary authorities and from observations made in the classroom, (2) suggested guidelines for cutting specific forms of literature, and (3) illustration of these directives by application to selected prose and poetry.
David Belasco's Naturalistic Stagecraft and Stage Lighting
It is the purpose of this paper to make a general study of David Belasco's use of naturalism in the American theatre. More specifically, it is to determine Belasco's methods of achieving naturalism in his stage settings and lighting. From the study of his techniques and methods, and effort is made to establish his contributions to the naturalistic movement.
A Descriptive Study of the Response of Selected Groups Toward Controversial Symbols and Slogans
The purpose of this study is twofold (1) to describe the functions performed by symbols and slogans in communicating ideas, and (2) to quantify the responses of selected groups to contemporary controversial slogans and symbols.
The Development of Criteria for the Design of an Ideal Environment for Interpretation
The problem with which this study was concerned was the development of criteria for design of an environment for interpretation. The study analyzed the art of interpretation as a communicative process, derived criteria for design from the spatial requirements indicated by the analysis, and presented a sample design based on the criteria.
Don Pasquale: A Project in Theatrical Design
The purpose of this project was to create an original production scheme which will prove acceptable to the American audience. The production of Don Pasquale adhered to the following guidelines: (1) the production was adapted in terms of the American audience for which it was being performed, it was sung in English and all allusions to the opera's European origin were either omitted or altered to conform to the American stylization, (2) the adaptation of the opera centered around an American historical perspective, a point in American history with which the audience could nostalgically identify.
The Effect of a Phonetic Approach Speech Improvement Program on Sound Discrimination, Reading Achievement, and Developmental Articulation
The purpose of this study is to determine if a phonetic approach to speech improvement has a relationship to reading achievement, sound discrimination, and developmental articulation at the first-grade level.
The Effect of Response-Contingent Positive Stimulation of the Frequency of Intervals of Specified Fluent Verbal Behavior of Stutterers
Intervals of specified fluent verbal behavior of two stutterers received response-contingent positive stimulation in the form of an accumulating points system, Assessment was made o the effect of experimental manipulation on the frequency of fluent speech intervals as well as on the frequency of subject-identified stuttering behaviors observed during the experimental session. The results indicated significant change in fluent interval frequency in the spontaneous speech of one subject. Effect of the experimental contingency was not demonstrated in the oral reading of a second subject. Stuttering. behavior data indicated that an indirect effect of the positive stimulation can change the frequency of behavior not being contingently stimulated.
The Elimination of Cigarette Broadcast Advertising: A Model for Analysis and Prediction
The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of determining whether or not the history of cigarette advertising in broadcasting developed a pattern from which a model could be abstracted and applied to other product advertisements deemed "controversial" in broadcasting. The history of broadcast cigarette advertising is analyzed in an attempt to abstract a model, The .assumption is made that this model could be capable of predicting future regulation or elimination of broadcast advertising of controversial products.
An Evaluation of the Acting Career of Katharine Cornell
This paper will point out the reasons for the great popular success of Katharine Cornell as an actress. This paper will examine the background of Miss Cornell to determine the influences that helped shape her career, and the theatre training that brought her to her first Broadway "hit." Special attention will be given to Miss Cornell's philosophy of acting as she expressed it in her autobiography and in interviews. Further, this paper will take each role played by Miss Cornell during her career and through the reviews of the dramatic critics determine the artistic merit of each role. Finally, the roles selected to be of artistic merit will again be subjected to the reviews of the drama critics to determine whether or not Miss Cornell achieved artistic excellence in her portrayal of them.
An Examination of the Acting Career of Edmund Kean
The characterizations of Kean mirrored the deprivation which he suffered as a child, as well as his wild and volcanic nature. It is difficult in a study of Kean to divorce the actor from the man, and the man from the actor. This thesis concludes that each of these two aspects of this genius of the English stage exerted a profound influence upon the other.
An Experiment in Open Theatre
The purpose of this experiment has been to complete a challenging thesis production in the style and technique of Open Theatre, utilizing imaginative production effects. The purpose was also to provide a valuable experience for those actors and technicians involved, meeting the standards and requirements of educational theatre. The experiment evolved from adapting, designing, directing, and producing a twelve scene cutting from Megan Terry's Viet Rock and twelve episodes from Jean-Claude van Italliets The Serpent. The study was culminated with a one-evening performance of The serpent and Viet Rock on August 10, 1971. The style and technique of Open Theatre seemed to be well accepted and fulfilled the requirements which the script demanded. The reaction of the audience seemed to indicate that the response sought by the Comp any was accomplished. The conclusion may also be drawn that this experimental production was successful not only as art, but also as an evening of entertainment.
Family Crisis Intervention Training: A Creative Framework
The purpose of this analysis is to construct a program framework relating relevant factors of the law enforcement environment to a communication crisis training format. Such a design transcends simple reporting of existing programs by incorporating the as yet unrelated research of communicologists, psychologists, and sociologists into a unified approach. The underlying thrust of this study encourages the development of a broader base for police training. The need for that broader base, with full awareness of the interrelated nature of this program to the policeman's total responsibilities, seems apparent. The approach of this design seeks to be creatively utilization rather than traditionally value-laden.
A Group Interpretation Production of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
It was the purpose of this study to adapt and produce Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea for a group interpretation presentation.
A Group Interpretation Production of Selected Literature of Leonard Cohen
It was the purpose of this study to introduce a selected representative body of literature by the Canadian author Leonard Cohen to local audiences.
Helen, Later: An Original Play
The purpose of this play is to dramatize the change of government in ancient Greece from a matriarchy to a patriarchy and from rule by the Ionian to rule by the Dorian Greeks through the last years of Helen of Troy. Faced with a challenge by her husband, Menelaus, who wants his sons to rule, Helen manages through intrigue to arrange for her daughter to gain the throne. Helen herself becomes a "goddess."
The History and Development of Casa Mañana Musicals, 1958-1980
The investigation is a historical survey tracing the development of Casa Mañana Musicals, Inc., Fort Worth, Texas, from its experimental beginning in 1958 as the first permanent musical arena theatre in the United States, through twenty-three subsequent seasons. The study includes a chapter on the origins of theatre and the influences behind its concept dating back to the 1936 Casa Mañana produced by Billy Rose. Subsequent chapters deal with the theatre's seasons and its struggle to gain acceptance. The theatre's more recent financial and labor problems are also considered. Major sources include such unpublished data as production and financial records of the theatre, contracts, correspondence, minutes of the board of directors, and interviews. Published sources include accounts in newspapers and periodicals.
A History of the Speech and Drama Department at North Texas State University as it Relates to General Trends in Speech Education, 1890-1971
"The purpose of this study is to record an accurate account of this development at North Texas State University and to correlate it to general trends in speech education in the United States. The hypothesis for such a study is that historical comparisons may be beneficial to scholars as indicative of those methods that have met with the greatest success."--2.
History of the St. Charles Theatre of New Orleans under the Management of David Bidwell, 1880-1888
The objective of this investigation is to compile a chronological history of the St. Charles Theatre of New Orleans from 1880 to 1888, the last successful years of the theatre when it was under the management of David Bidwell. In order to clarify the role of the St. Charles Theatre as it reflected theatre art in New Orleans during the latter quarter of the nineteenth century, special attention will be given to the physical improvements of the theatre, the kind of entertainment provided, the personalities who appeared, and the critical comments of the local newspapers.
The Impact of the Acting of David Garrick and Sir Laurence Olivier : A Comparative Analysis
Two men of genius who came from nowhere to break the rules were David Garrick in 1741 and Sir Laurence Olivier in 1937. These two men will be the major subjects of this thesis. Both Garrick and Olivier introduced new styles of acting to the theatre in Shakespearian plays.
The Incidence of Hearing Loss and of Nonorganic Hearing Problems in Juvenile Delinquents
The purpose of this investigation was (1) to perform hearing screening tests on 100 youths who are classified as delinquent; (2) to evaluate more completely the hearing of those who fail the hearing screening tests in order to determine the nature and severity of the losses; and (3) to determine whether or not any significant number of the youths tested demonstrate nonorganic components in their reported audiometric thresholds.
The Incidence of Speech Defects among Juveniles Exhibiting Antisocial Aggressive Behavior
The question of maladjustment of individuals with speech defects and its subsequent manifestation is the basic issue of this thesis. The study was conducted to answer the question: "What is the incidence of speech defects among juveniles exhibiting antisocial aggressive behavior?"
Back to Top of Screen