Sociology Student Research Projects

2015

SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS

Cara Firestein

Samina Henderson

Courtney Johnson

Aiko Kawano

Lorena Miramontes

Emily Rojas

Katie Woods

 2014

SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS

Kelsey Collins

Markie Harrison

Putting Blacks Into a Cultural Prison:

An Analysis of the Victims and Criminals in the Television Series Law and Order

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3rd place NCSA Student Paper Competition

Sarah Lee

Refashioning the Korean Gender Dichotomy:

Female performance in music videos by K-pop girl groups

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Allison Sheets

Switching the Code:

The complicity of female Twitter users in the preservation of rape culture

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2nd place NCSA Student Paper Competition

2013

SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS

 Abigal Madsen

Lost Between Two Cultures:

 Construction of Ethnic Identity in Korean Adoptees Adopted Into American Families

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Kaliegh Fields

Perceptions of Sexual Violence:

Views of Sexual Assault on College Campuses

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2012

 SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS

Courtney Albrecht

Does Race Matter?:

How Teaching Students of Color Shape White Teachers’ Identities?

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Meghan Dillon

Show Me Your Papers!:

A Content Analysis of Barriers of Anti-Immigration Legislation
in the United States

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Molly Harmon

What is Blackness?:

How Race of Ownership Affects BET Programming?

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*The Sociology Award Winner

*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 1st Place

Caitlyn Holman

Real Beauty:An Examination of the Ways that Saint Mary’s College Students View Women in the Media

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Caroline Keep

Homeward Bound:

How the Homeless Construct the Road to Self-Sufficiency?

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Hilary Whitsett

Targeting Women:

Direct Consumer Advertising in Women’s Magazines

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*The Donald N.M. Horning Award Winner

*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 2nd Place

2011

SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE RESEARCH PROJECTS

Mariela Aguilera

El Paraiso del Traficante:
A Content Analysis of Music Lyrics in Narcocorridos

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*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 1st Place

Maureen Barrett

Reading Between the Lines:
A Qualitative Analysis of Community Involvement in the ‘Read to a Child’ Program

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Jessica Doherty

Under’grad Depression: How Economic Anxiety Affects the Construction of Young Adult Identity

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Brianna May

Pretty, Pretty Princess:
Race and Gender Role Portrayal inDisney Princess Films

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Caroline Proulx

Made of Awesome:
The Online Culture of Nerdfighteria

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Kelly Reidenbach

Forgive and Forget?:
Religiosity and Perceptions of Ex-Offenders

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*The Sociology Award Winner

 2010

SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE
RESEARCH PROJECTS

Meg Campbell

Uncle Sam Wants You!:
A Content Analysis of Patriotic Symbolism in Military Recruitment Posters

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Josephine Cohen 

Under Oath:
A Content Analysis of Controlled Images of Women in Elkhart, IN Courtrooms

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*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 3rd Place

Melissa Croft

"Other" Accommodations:
A Content Analysis of ADA-Mandated Services for Chronically Ill College Students

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Ashley Feely

Through Amish Eyes:
Examining the Self-Constructed Identities of Amish Women

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Kelcey Lerner

Virtually Perfectt:
Impression Management and Identity Manipulation on Facebook

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Denise Lopez

Quien Soy?:
Identity Construction and Cultural Adaptation in Mexican Immigrants

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Colleen Lowry

Planting Connections:
How Urban Gardens Enhance Community Participation 

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*The Donald N.M. Horning Award Winner

Sarah Mayer

Gods of the Gridiron:
The Racial Characterization of Quarterbacks in Sports Illustrated

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Mara Martinez

Does Race Matter?:
How High School Teachers Perceive Students' Ability and Behavior

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Kelli Minor

"Culture of Thinness:"
An Examination of the Factors That Influence Body Image at an All-Women's College

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*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 1st Place

Mia Van Nostrand

Framing Fathers:
How MTVs 16 & Pregnant Depicts Parental Involvement

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*The Sociology Award Winner

Mary Willkom

Identity on Tap:
Other-directedness in Female Bar and Pub Employees

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Is "She Saint Mary's?":

Student Identity Construction Based on Institutional Stereotypes

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Nori Drach

Sports Fan(atic)s:

Observations of Hero Worhsip in College Football

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*The Sociology Award Winner

 
Krista Durski

A Melody of Messages:

An Analysis of Political Content in Modern Music

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Nichole Galullo

A Recipe for Being Italian:

Identity Construction in Chicago

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 Elizabeth Madrigal

Hegemonic Masculinity and the Phoenix Gay Male Subculture:

The Transgression of Boundaries and Dictation of Social Space Production

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*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 3rd Place

 
Meghan McEvoy-Hein

Tweeting an Identity:

A Content Analysis of Twitter Posts by Individuals Living with HIV/AIDS

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Allison Meeks

Ready, Set, Global!:

An Assessment of Globalization in High School Curricula

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Sarah Rompola

ComMANder in Chief:

A Content Analysis of Masculinity in Candidates' Images

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*The Donald N.M. Horning Award Winner

*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 1st Place

 
 Carly Zagaroli

Prada Placement:

A Content Analysis of High Culture Goods in Gossip Girl

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Becki Faunce

Incredible Women:

A Feminist Figuration of Women’s Agency Post-Katrina

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Anita Moo

What Happened to Ch'l'balil?:

Changing Family relationships and Structure in Ucí, Yucatan?

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*The Donald N.M. Horning Award Winner

Ashley Bruce

Going Green or Growing Greed:

A Content Analysis of Green Advertisements in Popular Magazines

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Monica Velarde

Behinds the Scrubs:

A Nursing Magazine’s Representation of Race and Gender

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Meg Frechette

Cartoon Wars:

An Application of Hall’s Theory to Social Constructs of the Enemy

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Jennifer D'Angelo

A Dog’s New BFF:

A Content Analysis of Books about the Human-Canine Relationship

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Amanda Deja

Major(s) Attitude(s):

Sexual Values and Behaviors at a Women's College

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Audrey Ballinger

The Corporate “Me:”

How Fortune 500 Companies Represent Diversity in Non-Financial Report

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*The Sociology Award Winner

Irene Bayudan

Color Me White:

A Qualitative Analysis of Asian American Women's Experience at a Predominately White College

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Kerri Bowlby

“What are you?:”

Interviews with Bi-Racial Adolescents on their Racial Identity Development

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Colleen Courtney

Play Like a Champion:

A Content Analysis of Coach Behaviors in Sport Films Since Title IX

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Stella Maris Kunihira

Africa in American Media:

A Content Analysis of Newsweek’s Portrayal of Africa, 1988-2006

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Nicole Loughridge

Mom, I Want That!:

A Content Analysis of Product Placement in Non-animated Children’s Films

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Nicole Novak

Abuse, Murder, and Manslaughter:

Interviews with Women Prisoners on Social Factors Contributing to Their Crime Sentence

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Meggan Patty

Run, the Cops Are Here!:

A Content Analysis of Teen Drinking in American Hollywood Films, 1984-2007

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*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 2nd Place

Stephanie Petty

Suffering the System:

Professional Dominance, the Uninsured, and Health Care Industry

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Kristina Ramos

¿Inglés or Spanish?:

Social Factors that Shape the Language Use of Bilingual Mexican-Americans

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Nikki Witowski

On the Rails:

A Content Analysis of Contemporary Hobo “zines

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*The Donald N.M. Horning Award Winner

*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 2nd Place

Jessica Binhack

“Put Me In Coach!:

A Survey of the Impact of Team Sports on Women’s Self-Esteem”

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Lauren Falvey

“There’s No Place Like ‘Home:’

A Qualitative Analysis of Military Brats’ definition of Home”

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Laura Frechette

"Beyond Pro-Life and Pro-Choice:

A Social Constructionist approach to Abortion Attitudes at Saint Mary's College"

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Grace Gordon

"Ouch!:

A Content Analysis of the Racial Gap in Children’s Picture Books Related to Health and Illness”

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Chelsea Gulling

“Working Hard and Hardly Paid:

Interviews with Hourly Wage Workers at a Catholic College”

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Alice Holohan

“The Catholic Cross-Over:

A Case Study of St. Thomas More Parish. 1950-2000”

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*The Sociology Award Winner

*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 1st Place

McKenna Keenan

“Head of the Class:

A Survey of Male Attitudes Toward Teaching in Early Childhood Education”

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Anna Konger

“Players for Sale: A Historical Analysis

of the Commercialization of Professional Baseball, 1869-2006”

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Carolyn Logan

“Infidelity and Betrayal in Marriage:

A Content Analysis of Men Who Cheat in Hollywood Films”

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Maribeth Sarnecki

“Driven Women:

The Twists and Turns of Childbirth on Women’s Career Choices”

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Amanda Shropshire

Being Black & Bleeding Blue:

A Quantitative look at the Experience of African American Alumnae a Predominantly White Institution

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Jasmin Abbatiello

Comedy in Black and White:

A Content Analysis of Racial Humor in the Chappelle Show

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Katie Dingerman

From War to “Refuge:”

A Case Study of Liberian Refugees Resettled in South Bend, IN

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*The Sociology Award Winner

*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 1st Place

Diane Inlenfeldt

Missing Amber:

An Analysis of AMBER Legislation, A State by State Comparison

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Stephanie Lutz

The Thin Commandments:

A Content Analysis of Pro-Ana Websites

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Lauren Lydon

All Day I Dream About Shopping (ADIDAS):

A Content Analysis of Product Placement in Teen Films

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Sarah (Sam) Medina

(Sexual) Minority Report:

A Survey of Student Attitudes Regarding the Social and Cultural Environment for Sexual Minorities

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*The Donald N.M. Horning Award Winner

*NCSA Student Paper Competition, 3rd Place

Angie Omanski

When Actions Speak Louder Than Words:

A Content Analysis of Health Textbooks Covering Rape Education

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Emily Romano

Sentenced to Death:

Demographic Characteristics of Exonerated Individuals

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Stephanie Roth

Wo(men) at Work:

Interviews with Women in Business Regarding Gender Inequality

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Jackie Savinon

The Laws of Sex:

A Historical-Comparative Analysis of Federal Legislation in India and Thailand Regarding Sexuality

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Natasha Uffner

Revenge, Greed, Passion and Murder:

Flilm Representations of Women Who Kill

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Jennifer Witherow

Broke with a Bachelors:

Student Perceptions of Tuition Increases in Higher Education

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