The field of radio broadcast requires the cohesion of several different skill sets in order to be a success. KHEA Radio has used a traditional form of teaching, which means taking a one-on-one approach. Taking this approach has worked for years in the past and has been the only option for teaching. The down side to this method of teaching is that it requires one seasoned employee to stop their work and take the time to train a new employee. Because of the significant void in the area of instructional content for radio sound engineering, my co-worker and I had to troubleshoot this console and basically teach ourselves its functions. I saw the need for better instructional content on the Internet and in print based on my own experiences. The skills used to create the following instructional content were gained from course work at Arizona State University. The graduate department of Technical Communication makes every effort to equip students with varied skills that can be applied to different fields within the overall scheme of technical communication. This guide serves as a tool for radio broadcast novices to learn the basics of sound board operation.

YourBrandPartner.com exists to provide content to those seeking specific advice and information on purchasing custom promotional items. For this investigation, I conducted a usability test with a select user group to identify user experience issues. The primary goal of this research was to conduct general usability testing through large group survey and a small in-person usability testing group. I designed surveys and tests to investigate if users experienced difficulties in finding the information they were looking for on the website. Based on the results of this study, I recommend reviewing the visual design of the website, increasing site speed, creating a better experience between the blog and e- commerce interactions, and creating an environment that is more accommodating of where the user is in the buying process. This full report includes expanded participant feedback, methodology behind the study, and full recommendations for improvement.

The purpose of this applied project was to research and recommend to Phoenix Children’s Hospital (PCH) improvements to their website in order to provide parents whose child has been newly diagnosed with cancer the most clear and appropriate health information. I conducted a study in order to analyze and evaluate the health information content currently provided to parents at PCH. This was done by through qualitative coding methods on both printed documents provided by The Emily Center Library, as well as interviews conducted with three Hematology/Oncology nurses at PCH. Additionally, I researched the current literature surrounding this topic in order to provide a background of information. Based on the results, I recommended that PCH offer parents a comprehensive cancer database in which all provided information would be searchable via their website. This database would also allow them to expand on their two topic focuses: home care and emotional support. Additionally, I recommended that parents are provided information on how to identify credible and non- credible sources on the Internet so that they can find information that is truly medically valuable when searching for information on their own. Lastly, I offered future recommendations that will require continued research so that PCH’s provided health information can continue to grow and improve.

This project offers an argument that isolates several major forces that it contends pose a critical threat to the endurance of modern American democracy. It evaluates modern and classic political philosophy to identify the prerequisites for a stable democracy, identifying and defining voter education and participation as necessary contributors to civic engagement. It provides a socio-legal framework for evaluating four phenomena that have shifted in their impact on politics over the past 20 years: the roles of money and media in politics, as well as disenfranchisement by gerrymandering and by felon voting restrictions. It demonstrates how each has a new and worsening impact on voter education and/or participation, thus threatening the continued existence of modern American democracy.

This project offers an argument that isolates several major forces that it contends pose a critical threat to the endurance of modern American democracy. It evaluates modern and classic political philosophy to identify the prerequisites for a stable democracy, identifying and defining voter education and participation as necessary contributors to civic engagement. It provides a socio-legal framework for evaluating four phenomena that have shifted in their impact on politics over the past 20 years: the roles of money and media in politics, as well as disenfranchisement by gerrymandering and by felon voting restrictions. It demonstrates how each has a new and worsening impact on voter education and/or participation, thus threatening the continued existence of modern American democracy.

This project offers an argument that isolates several major forces that it contends pose a critical threat to the endurance of modern American democracy. It evaluates modern and classic political philosophy to identify the prerequisites for a stable democracy, identifying and defining voter education and participation as necessary contributors to civic engagement. It provides a socio-legal framework for evaluating four phenomena that have shifted in their impact on politics over the past 20 years: the roles of money and media in politics, as well as disenfranchisement by gerrymandering and by felon voting restrictions. It demonstrates how each has a new and worsening impact on voter education and/or participation, thus threatening the continued existence of modern American democracy.

The goal of this thesis is to better understand the outcomes of both treated and untreated maternal depression on fetal development and birth defects. We focus on a class of antidepressant drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). We hope to gain insight into how these effects might carry on into childhood and adolescent years. While research shows there are potentially significant consequences for the fetus in both treated and untreated scenarios, it remains unclear whether depression itself or SSRIs play the larger role in the outcomes of children born from these women. We begin with a general history of depression and the introduction of SSRIs, followed by a review of the physiology of depression and SSRI treatment. We then narrow our focus to the history of maternal depression, SSRI usage in pregnant women, and potential risk factors. Following this, we analyze studies on the effects of depression and SSRI usage on the fetus and at birth, paying careful attention to the cortisol pathway that results from depression itself and the biochemical effects that SSRIs have on embryogenesis and fetal development. While there is limited research on the long-term effects of fetal exposure to SSRI-treated and untreated maternal depression, one of the aims of this thesis is to understand the potential risks for children throughout their developmental years and into adolescence. Therefore, we also researched the effects of depression and SSRI use in children and adolescents themselves, comparing this information to the effects of both SSRI-treated and untreated maternal depression. We believe there is sufficient evidence of causal connections involving cortisol (in untreated depression) and SSRIs (in pharmacologically treated depression) to warrant caution regarding the use of SSRIs in a clinical setting. We suggest alternative treatments for depression such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which have been shown to be effective, and which have very little chance for harm. Notably, such treatments can be of real benefit regardless of the underlying biological, psychological, and social causes of depression. Finally, we conclude by suggesting some preventative treatments for maternal depression. While we do not believe the use of SSRIs needs to be completely avoided in the case of maternal depression, we believe that better practitioner education in preventing depression could go a long way in making them unnecessary in most cases.