Royal Road
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Royal Road features the best researched arguments produced in the University of Tampa's AWR 201 - Academic Writing and Research course. Student essays are nominated by instructors and reviewed by a faculty panel; those that are selected for potential publication undergo a process of peer review and revision that reflect the standards of academic publishing. Selected essays are published in an annual journal and used as models for future sections of AWR 201.
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Item Lustful Killings in Ciudad Juárez: A Look at “Femicide,” Machismo, and Roberto Bolaño’s “Precious”(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Browne, GregoryGendered socialization leads to gendered violence. Parents provide children with their first lessons about gender, and the home becomes a child’s first impression of power differences between the sexes. This raises the question of how much a child’s home life influences their gender-specific stereotypes and expectations. When looking at violence against women, gender socialization cannot be ignored. In the mind of a perpetrator is a deeply embedded attitude towards gender. This attitude begins developing in the home and is gradually influenced by other socializing entities like education, the media, and government.Item [Front Matter] Royal Road: A Journal of Undergraduate Research(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Dooghan, Dr. Daniel, Ed.; Reamer, Dr. David, Ed.; Letter, Dr. Joseph, Ed.Editor's IntroductionItem Disillusioning the Youth: How Standardized Testing Reduces Learning Opportunity(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Pantano, RobertWithin us all there is a compulsion to learn and placate the deeply inquisitive conscious facet of the human mind. Starting as a child, it seems as though we cannot refrain from asking something about everything and igniting the flame of perpetual inquest. Arguably, it is formal education’s role and responsibility to aid in the fostering and fulfillment of this inquisitive nature. Modern American education is comprised of individuals of immensely diverse backgrounds, skillsets, intellectual capacities, and social positions. It is, therefore, essential that the educational infrastructure reflects and supports such diversity. In its current form, education does not attend fully to the spirit of inquiry, creativity, and diversity that children and society so need and deserve.Item Let Women Fight(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Shapira, CarlaOn December 3, 2015, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter announced, without exception, that all fields in military combat will be available to eligible females (Pellerin). This integration will begin as of January 2, 2016, enabling women soldiers, current and entering, the opportunity to be employed in 220,000 positions or approximately 10% of jobs previously reserved only for males (Tilghman). With women making up more than 50% of the population, Secretary Carter emphasizes the significance of integrating women into every field in the military. He states, “[t]o succeed in our mission in National Defense, we cannot afford to cut ourselves off from half the country’s talents and skills” (Schwartz and Lubold). Without lowering the standards set in military history and tradition, women will be eligible to participate, providing them with an opportunity previously only granted to men. These opportunities will allow women to progress in their careers, enabling them to obtain the highest levels of leadership provided by combat arms (Tilghman).Item Hysteria in Utopias: The Condition of Women in Bellamy and Morris(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Stockdale, KatieThroughout history even the supposed egalitarian societies have failed when it comes to women’s rights. And while utopian writers attempt to create perfect societies, the conditions women face often have a dystopian bent. Do utopian societies, like their real world counterparts, cause undue stress on women, driving them to rebel against their societies? In order to answer this question, we will look at two utopian novels, and a short story about hysteria, as case studies: Looking Backward by Edward Bellamy, News from Nowhere by William Morris, and "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.Item Romantic Zombies: What Their Representation in Film Means for Racism(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Murphy, EmilyIn cinematic history the representation of zombies began in 1968 with George Romero’s film Night of the Living Dead (Barber 1). In Romero’s film, zombies are depicted as brain-dead, flesh eating monsters. Since Romero’s time, zombies have begun to infiltrate the romantic comedy film genre. Films such as Pretty Dead (2013), Zombie Prom (2006), Warm Bodies (2013) and I Am Legend (2007) have used zombies as romanticized bodies in their plot lines. The shift from brain-dead corpses to possible romantic leads initiates a change from racism and othering to acceptance and tolerance. Films that incorporate zombies through a romantic lens challenge the original use of zombies in America. This challenge motivates audiences to see humanity in a body that has been traditionally separated or discriminated against.Item "Do No Harm": An Evaluation of the Courts’ Decision-Making Policies in Overruling Children & Families’ Refusal of Treatment(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Ross, KayleighThe purpose of this research paper is to prove why the courts have the authority to overrule families’ and children’s refusal of potentially life-saving treatment. The author describes the decision-making policies and laws used to guide judges’ decisions and justify their rulings. The case of Cassandra C., a seventeen-year-old minor diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, helps demonstrate how these policies are practiced in the courtroom. Court cases, particularly the case of Daniel Hauser, are used as evidence to describe why the court’s actions are warranted even in cases in which treatment is refused based on a family’s religious values. The courts’ decisions are ultimately justified since legislation’s primary initiative is to protect the greater welfare of society. After proving that the courts’ decisions are warranted, the author suggests that legislatures adopt the harm principle, contrary to the best interest standard, to not only justify court intervention, but also to clarify the circumstances necessary for involvement. With support from professionals in this field of study, the author also encourages legislators to implement the constrained parental autonomy model as opposed to the mature minor doctrine. By employing the harm principle and constrained parental autonomy model, the author argues that these decision-making laws will clarify when court intervention is justified, and thus cause less conflict in the courtroom.Item Levels of Parental Influence and the Effects on Children: Too Much, Not Enough, and Just Right(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2017) Gefroh, MichelleThis paper discusses how different levels of parental involvement determine the type of person a child will be, and explains why authoritative parenting is optimal because it involves a mixture of high and low influence. It reveals that combining high and low parental influence with the authoritative parenting style can lead to the most positive effects on children and adolescents. Numerous sources in relation to this topic are referenced, such as academic journals, books, and an interview with Renee Patrick, an expert in the field of developmental psychology. This paper offers knowledge that can benefit parents and children because it is a topic that is relevant to their everyday lives. Parenting is a monumental part of how children develop, and it is important that they are able to mature into well-rounded and successful individuals. The purpose of this paper is to present the information to parents that authoritative parenting is superior to permissive and authoritarian.Item Scaling up the Sustainability of the Salmon Aquaculture Industry: Implementation of Integrated Multi-Trophic Salmon Aquaculture(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Marter, AlexandraThe current and rapid expansion of the fish farm industry gives it the potential to be sustainably shaped as a solution to diminishing wild fisheries and a means of food security for a growing human population. By focusing on salmon as a template species, this essay explores the current unsustainable problems negatively characterizing the aquaculture industry like inefficient baitfish feeds, disease, and pollution, while also presenting options for sustainable improvements. Research on diverse global salmon aquaculture production methods and policy was gathered through analysis of relevant texts including: scientific institute reports and publications, an aquaculture textbook, scientific journal articles, and a seafood expert’s nonfiction writings. Integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) was found to be a promising solution in terms of the ecological and economic sustainability of salmon aquaculture. This paper argues that world governments should promote sustainable salmon aquaculture by removing regulatory barriers and financially incentivizing IMTA.Item The Fate of the Florida Mangroves(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Kirby, ClaudiaAs the state of Florida gears up for governor elections in the upcoming fall of 2018, many of its residents are reflecting on the last two terms served by current governor Rick Scott. A particular emphasis has been placed on the changes in environmental policy during the last decade as many Floridians are becoming aware of hydrological issues across south central Florida and the Everglades region. Gov. Scott has repeatedly shown a preference for business over the environment with actions like cutting down funding for Florida’s water management districts, lowering pollution regulation enforcement, andfunneling less money into land conservation programs (Rangel). He even reportedly banned the use of terms like “climate change” and “global warming” within the administration of the Department of Environmental Protection (Sherman). The stance his office has taken in environmental affairs has been made clear during his time in power which is why many residents were left confused when he proposed a one billion dollar blueprint in 2014 that would improve Florida’s water flows within the Everglades. The plan would help to reverse the damage from previous canaling and river alterations that have resulted in a disturbance of natural hydrological flows into southern Florida wetlands (Turner). Many citizens summed it up to be a campaign strategy as Gov. Scott unveiled the plan a month before his re-election.Item A Long Way to Equality: Women on Television News(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Igleheart, Arden“Where can you find a morning news anchor who’s provocative, super smart and just a little sexy?” asked the voiceover in an ad about Paula Zahn, the then host of CNN’s American Morning. The ad, released in 2002, was quickly pulled from television, but its opening line echoes a major problem in thebroadcast news industry. News channels, without stating it as explicitly as CNN, still often portray their female anchors and reporters as “just a little sexy.” These channels rarely portray men this way. Hiring women in broadcast news is still a relatively new practice, and these women face various obstacles, including stations’ sexualization of them, that men do not face. Barbara Walters, the first female host of a late-night news program, wasn’t awarded her position until 1976. “The so-called hard news, a woman couldn’t do it. The audience wouldn’t accept her voice,” Walters told Oprah Winfrey. “She couldn’t go into the war zones; she couldn’t ask the tough questions” (Capretto). Many researchers have addressed the topic of barriers forwomen in broadcast news, but my research examines several different ways that these women face sexism at once, drawing a conclusion from several studies about the effect that these combined aspects have on the audience. This paper argues that the underrepresentation of female reporters overall and in certain types of stories, the lack of women as expert sources and the value that employers and the audience place on the appearance of female reporters on American television news convey to the audience that women are not as authoritative as men. This portrayal could be limiting the job opportunities for women, both in broadcast news and other fields, by reinforcing harmful gender stereotypes. On average, networksItem [Front Matter] Royal Road: A Journal of Undergraduate Research (Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Dooghan, Dr. Daniel, Ed.; Reamer, Dr. David, Ed.; Letter, Dr. Joseph, Ed.Item Stereotypes of Islamic Dress and Appearance- Based Discrimination in America(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Gambatese, EricaToday in America, media coverage and the education system lack factual information surrounding Islam and its identifiers, resulting in physical stereotypes towards Muslims and those who appear to be Muslim. Appearance-based discriminationhas become such a prevalent issue in today’s society, especially because of the recent presidential election. On January 20, 2017, Donald Trump was officially inaugurated as the President of the United States, and many of his viewpoints have heavily influenced America and its citizens. In a CBS interview with John Dickerson, Trump stated “I think profiling is something that we're going to have to start thinking about as a country...we have to look at it seriously” (Phillips). Because President Trump has publicly endorsed the idea of ethnic profiling in order to diminish the threat of terrorism, those who fit the stereotype of “terrorist” have been cruelly persecuted. Furthermore, Trump has specifically directed this stereotype towards Muslims,reinforcing misconceptions about the Islamic religion. On Fox Business, Trump discussed American conflict with Islam, stating, “we're having problems with the Muslims, and we're having problems with Muslims coming into the country” (Johnson and Hauslohner). Trump’s statement endorses the idea that the Islamic religion is anti-American and threatening, furthermore introducing these false thoughts into the minds of the nation. Instead of knowing the true teachings of Islam, Americans are inaccurately educated by unreliable sources, such as those in the media. However, because profiling revolves around physical appearance, discrimination does not only affect Muslims, but also those who appear to be Muslim, especially through dress. In orderItem Progressive Income Tax: The Tax Policy America Needs(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Oakes, NicholasIncome tax has enormous implications on many aspects of American life. It is the main source of the government’s revenue and it dictates how much money will be deducted from every worker’s income. There has been a recent movement for a flat tax regime to take over the current progressive United States income tax code, especially by members of the Republican Party. This paper uses secondary research and evidence from private research institutions, such as the Tax Foundation and the Tax Policy Center, and government publications, such as IRS data and the federal budget from the Office of Management and Budget to argue that the progressive income tax code, with some improvements such as fixing loopholes and introducing a new tax rate for the super-rich, proves to be better than a flat income tax in the areas of tax revenue collection, reversing income inequality, and providing useful tax incentives. The results found prove that a progressive income tax, with modifications, is the best income tax policy for the United States and a flat income tax would be detrimental to the United States economy and the intrinsic values that American citizens hold dear.Item When Innovation Exceeds Technological Capacity: A Moral Evaluation of CRISPR/Cas9’s Role in Genetic Engineering Research(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Yaeger, BriannaThe Human Genome Project (HGP) in 2003 showcased the vast influence the field of genetics exerts on biomedical innovation The National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Human Genome Research Institute called the HGP “one of the greatest feats” and praised it for giving researchers “the ability, for the first time, to read nature's complete genetic blueprint for building a human being” within the public domain (“All About the HGP”). This successful sequencing provided biomedical researchers with a necessary precursor for uncovering the particular genes—and the genetic mutations—that directly correlate with chronic and/ or fatal diseases (Venter et al. 2003). In fact, many of the novel methods inspired by the genomic revolution—such as genetic testing—are now essential to the field of medicine. For example, the discovery of breast cancer-related genes and subsequent use of genetic testing kits led to incredible advances in breast cancer diagnosis and prevention (Heemskerk-Gerritsen et al. 668-677).Today, internationally accredited biomedical research scientists and microbiologists explore unprecedented, genomic manipulations of human cells on a continuous basis. Although the ability to alter human genomic DNA offers alluring potential in the biomedical field, researchers know it comes with irreversible changes. Nonetheless, biomedical research has already established an overwhelming pace for real-world applications that is not likely to ease up or scale back anytime soon. Thus, researchers must step back and carefully evaluate the recent discoveries in genetic engineering of the human genome and the implications of innovation without watchful intervention.Item Deeper than the Surface: Analyzing Tattoos in a Modernized World(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2018) Todd, KatyIn the late 1990s, anthropologist William Peace entered the American Museum of Natural History’s special exhibit, Body Art: Marks of Identity, a display he later described as prompting a “measured respect for body art [as well as] great skepticism” (589). The exhibit displayed the many ways that a variety of cultures have practiced body art and body modifications overthe past several centuries. Peace showed particular interest in the cultural phenomenon of tattooing, and how the practice was (and still remains) synonymous with cultural symbolism. In other words, it served as a way to visually transcribe certain aspects of human existence, as well as an impression of culture shared among generations. (589, 591). By definition, the word tattoo is indicative of “permanent marks or designs inserted on the skin by puncturing it and inserting pigment or pigments” (“Tattoo”); however, Peace describes the age-old art form much differently. According to Peace, body art, particularly tattoos, are a worldwide medium of expression, and as the name of the exhibit suggests, tattoos inherently are marks of human identity (589, 593). Though tattoos themselves are permanent, the role these century-old markings play in shaping human identity is, somewhat ironically, ever-changing. In fact, it has even changed in just the two decades following Peace’s publication.Item From Swampland to Sophistication: How H. B. Plant’s Tampa Bay Hotel Set the Foundation for a Thriving City(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2019) Benner, MarcellaThis essay examines the various ways in which the Tampa Bay Hotel and the entrepreneur who built it, Henry B. Plant, initiated the transformation of Tampa, Florida into a global city. Drawing upon primary sources and scholarly research, the paper tracks how the luxury hotel led to improvement of the city’s infrastructure and technology, economic development, population growth, and greater notoriety throughout the world. The impact that Plant and his hotel have had on the city can still be seen today through Tampa’s diverse cultural identity and ongoing growth and development.Item [Front Matter] Royal Road: A Journal of Undergraduate Research (Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2019) Dooghan, Dr. Daniel, Ed.; Reamer, Dr. David, Ed.; Letter, Dr. Joseph, Ed.Editor's IntroductionItem Blind to the Impacts of Colorism within the Cosmetic Industry(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2019) Hagan, RayleaAn unavoidable truth of colorism is often ignored because of the way society has pushed it aside. Through an analysis of historical, economic, and social data and research, this piece is written as a way to shed a bright light on the dark shadow of colorism that is cast over the beauty community. This essay argues that colorism remains prevalent in the cosmetic industry as something that has become normalized regardless of the economic and social detriment its occurrence has on society. The normalization and persisting ignorance of colorism in society is a representation of the historical legacy surrounding racial prejudices American society has yet to relinquish. This essay traces the selling of whiteness as a commodity back to the early years of the makeup industry in America to demonstrate that people of color have long been an afterthought in ad campaigns, diversification of products, and in society as whole. Ironically, diversity increases the economic potential of companies in the cosmetic industry, and, more importantly, inclusion boosts a person’s sense of confidence and helps instill a feeling of equality within the consumer market and society, which is why it is so important that the cosmetic industry diversifies.Item Acoustic Assault: How Anthropogenic Noise Pollution Affects Marine Ecosystems(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2019) Stange, EmmaMarine environments are essentially underwater cities; not only are they bursting with shrieks and shrills from animals, but humans have injected their own noises into the environment such as naval sonar, shipping traffic/boat noise, and blasts from oil exploration. Unlike humans, aquatic life relies on their auditory systems to navigate, communicate, forage, and reproduce. Due to the overlap of cetaceans’ hearing capacity and the operating frequencies of the aforementioned sources of anthropogenic noise, marine life is subjected to a multitude of life-altering effects, ranging from hearing loss and changes in behavior to internal bleeding of organs and mass strandings. Cetaceans are biological indicators of the oceans’ health and their longevity allows society to monitor the effects of other human activites and the changing conditions of the sea; without them, the balance within the ecosystem would cease to exist. An increase in awareness, education, and political involvement regarding marine disturbances could persuade legislators to hold these companies accountable and spark a movement towards quieter ocean-going technology, allowing oceans and the life within them to recover.
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