Past Thesis Topics

Mekenna Eisert - #13ReasonsWhy: Understanding Suicide Interpretations in Today's Media Atmosphere

Advisor: Professor Sonya Dal Cin

Ellie Homant - LGBTQ-Tube: The Construction of an Authentic and Expert Self in Beauty Videos by LGBTQ-Identified YouTubers 

Advisor: Professor Katherine Sender

McKinley Horwitz - Through the Altered Looking Glass: How Social Pressures on Instagram Influence Female Users' Self-Perception

Advisor: Professor Sonya Dal Cin

Kelsye Hurt - Eating in the Digital Age: Students' Food Choices, Consumer Behavior, and Food App Usage

Advisor: Professor Kristen Harrison

Emily Johanson - Making Meaning Out of Marvel: Exploring How Fan Perceptions of & Interactions with the Actor Influence Use of the Superhero Charachter in Fan Practices

Advisor: Professor Jimmy Draper

Ian Leach - Elite Bird Watching: Evaluating Newspaper Sourcing of Barack Obama's and Donald Trump's Presidential Tweets

Advisor: Professor Ariel Hasell

Ramia Mitchell - Consistently #TeamNatural: How Natural Hair Brands Intersect Natural Hair, Black Culture, and Community-Building Using Social Media

Advisor: Professor Andre Brock

Xiaolei Wang - Do You Trust Doctors?: Framing and Blame Attribution in Medical News Stories

Advisor: Professor Brian Weeks

Sara Benson - Google Misconduct: Implications of Digital Media for Juror Impartiality

Advisor: Faith Sparr, L.L.M., J.D.

Emily Harmon - Social Media Screening and Job Hiring: Comparing Applicant Concerns about Facebook and LinkedIn

Advisor: Professor Muzammil Hussain

Lindsay Hurwitz - Can’t Stop Watching: The Emotional Implications of Binge Watching

Advisor: Professor Sonya Dal Cin

Emily Levy - From “Ew” to “Oh!”: Study of Graphic Images and Desensitization on Twitter

Advisor: Professor Jan Van den Bulck

Danielle Litwak - R.I.P. SOPA: A Critical Analysis of the Discourse Surrounding the 2011 Failed Legislation

Advisor: Professor Jimmy Draper

Joanna McKelvey - Sex Q & A: Sexual Health Content in Print and Online Advice Platforms in 2006 and 2016

Advisor: Professor Katherine Sender

Eli Scheinholtz - BuzzFed: How Digital News Quality Affects Candidate Knowledge and Preferences

Advisor: Professor Josh Pasek 

Gabrielle Wesseldyk - (Don’t) Do it for the Gram: Upward Social Comparison, Self-Discrepancy and Body Shame among College-Aged Instagram Users

Advisor: Professor Kristen Harrison

Jenna Wilamowski - Imagine That!: Implications of Posting to the Imagined Audience on Facebook for User Behavior and Attitude

Advisor: Professor Jan Van den Bulck

Amie Diamond - Explaining Users’ Attitudes Toward Online Targeted Advertising: The Roles of User and Advertisement Characteristics

Advisor: Professor Muniba Saleem

Madeleine Kimble - Online Gendered Harassment and Violence: Naming the Harm and Punishing the Behavior

Advisor: Faith Sparr, L.L.M., J.D.

Jacquelyn Goldman - Docusoap Celebrities: Attributes That Lead to Success Beyond Reality Television

Advisor: Professor Susan Douglas

Marjorie McCurry - Can Happiness Buy Money? The Implication of Emotion on Donations to Humanitarian Causes Through Video Advertisements

Advisor: Professor Kristen Harrison

Ellen Wagner - Can Tweeting about Television Shows Build Social Capital? Evidence From a Novel Approach

Advisor: Professor Joshua Pasek

Gia Tammone - Not Sanctioned by the State: Radical Criminals, the Press, and the Twentieth Century

Advisor: Professor Derek Vaillant