Scholarship & Research
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Item Breaking through: how documentary filmmakers expose and unravel the fossil fuel hegemony(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Arts & Architecture, 2022) Dinner, Joshua; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Theo LipfertBy analyzing contemporary environmental films within Antonio Gramsci's theoretical framework of hegemony, this MFA thesis highlights a path for storytellers and science communicators to overcome hidden barriers built into the language of environmental activism. Part one uses scientific papers, academic research, and my MFA thesis film 'No Time for Trees' (2022) to scrutinize the environmental stewardship activity of tree planting, which municipal governments and non-profit organizations often promote as a strategy to sequester atmospheric CO 2 emissions. It will contextualize the hegemonic "tree planting message" as a false narrative that empowers individuals to partake in ineffective strategies to combat global warming. Part two examines The 11th Hour (2007) to identify how a documentary's narration impacts how viewers assess their role in the environmental arena. It identifies the pronoun "we" as a small but influential element of the film's language that may connote hegemonic messaging that blames individuals for climate change and directs them to see it solved. Finally, part three examines several rhetorical film strategies used in 'Merchants of Doubt' (2014) to expose the fossil fuel industry's comprehensive history of deception. Even will limited visual evidence of hegemony, films can help viewers think critically about stories they hear in the news media or within publications that skew climate science to favor the continued use of fossil fuels.Item Representations of dyslexia in children's fiction picture books: a critical content analysis(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Education, Health & Human Development, 2023) Green, Elizabeth Ann; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Sarah PenningtonThe purpose of this mixed methods critical content analysis was to examine the depiction of dyslexia and dyslexic characters in children's fiction picture books published between 2004 and 2022. Examining the data through the lens of critical neurodiversity studies and transactional theory concentrated the data collection and analysis on identifying the types of messages and values about dyslexia that are transmitted to the reader through the text. A mixed method critical content analysis approach was utilized, which involved categorizing texts, text passages, and thematic analysis as a qualitative step, followed by frequency analysis as a quantitative step. The use of mixed methods enabled the collection of descriptive statistics, frequency distributions, and specific data on the books. Multiple rounds of coding were utilized to discover and analyze themes and descriptive statistics found in the fifty-nine texts which met the criteria for inclusion. Results were described, analyzed, and interpreted. Finally, implications for practice and suggestions for future research were discussed.Item Myths and misconceptions : exploring beliefs about pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in adolescents(Montana State University - Bozeman, College of Nursing, 2010) Robertus, Kacie Taylor; Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Barbara Derwinski-RobinsonThe purpose of this professional project was to explore myths and misconceptions about sexual activity in adolescents. Adolescent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) are a significant problem worldwide and have been studied for many decades (Kirby, 2002). The burden of treating pregnancy and STD in the adolescent population affects all aspects of healthcare. Because of the magnitude of the problem, prevention of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections among adolescents has become a national priority (McBride & Gienapp 2000). A review of literature was conducted focusing on education, current myths and misconceptions of sexual activity, STD and pregnancy. A survey was created based on the literature. The questions asked were pregnancy or STD related and focused on fertility, condom use, and STD transmission. A convenience sample of four female and three male adolescents aged 15-18 participated. Important preliminary results were provided by the survey. Survey results indicated a high number of incorrect responses. Questions regarding pregnancy were the most frequently missed while questions about STD were answered correctly by most participants. Sample size was small, so generalization is impossible. However, knowing that these adolescents had limited knowledge about pregnancy prevention and sexually transmitted diseases may encourage inclusion about these topics in future educational programs for adolescents.