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 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.Item Ann Lowe: America’s Overlooked Fashion Icon Finally Found(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2019) Henderson, MarissaAnn Lowe was an African American fashion designer who landed jobs with some of the biggest names of the time. This essay calls for greater recognition of Lowe's work while exploring the challenges she faced on her path to becoming one of the finest designers of the era.Item “Arrrr! To hell with convention!” Unpacking the Appeal of Pirates in Tampa’s Gasparilla Festival(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2020) Davis, KristaHistorically, pirates of the 17th and 18th century had a reputation for being ruthless plunderers and scheming villains. However, despite their barbarous history, pirates are often romanticized in current popular culture in films, books, and in Tampa’s Gasparilla festival. This romanticization of piracy allows society to forget the more accurate, brutal deeds of historical pirates in favor of a more light-hearted perception of them in popular culture, such as through the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. By examining the representation of pirates in film and in Gasparilla in relation to their historical counterparts, this essay explores how the idealized pirate has come to represent freedom and independence. Additionally, this essay argues that though the romanticization of pirates in film and festival provides a means of collective release from societal pressure, the historical reality of piracy should not be forgotten.Item Beauties in an Ugly World: The Evolution of Feminism in Adaptations of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s Beauty and the Beast(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2019) Andrade, Daniela GutierrezHistorically, fairytales have promoted passive heroines that exist within well-defined patriarchal societies, but the protofeminist themes present in Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont’s Beauty and the Beast make it an exceptional tale. It depicts a heroine with the power to rescue the masculine characters of the story, makes consent a central theme, and serves as an instructional device that provides as a model an increasingly independent young woman with the desire to learn. The Disney movie adaptations have contributed to the feminist discussion started by Beaumont and reflect society’s transformation regarding gender equality, however, the unresolved issues within the films show the cultural barriers that are still in place for contemporary women in relation to the rights and liberties they possess in the private sphere. The 1991 Disney film adaptation expanded the protagonist’s character and sphere of interests and explored her relationship with society by symbolically representing it through the village and the characters of the Beast and Gaston; however, the original moralistic purpose of the story was lost, the theme of consent got lost, and the story terminated in a romantic union. In response to Beaumont’s tale and the criticism to their previous adaptation, Disney’s 2017 live action version refined their feminist interpretation of the heroine’s character, interests, and abilities, and recovered the moralistic tone of the tale; unfortunately, consent remained diluted in the film and the ending of the story was still a romantic union.Item The Benefits of Culling, Consuming, and Banning Live Imports as Methods of Controlling Lionfish Populations(Keyhole Press, 2022) Wilson, JacquelineThe invasive species Pterois miles and Pterois volitans, better known as lionfish, have created the need for vast efforts to control their populations in Florida. Many solutions have been discussed, including: training reef sharks to prey on lionfish, expanding the culinary market, banning imports, and culling (Culling is targeting a specific species with a goal of reducing its population). This paper argues that culling is the most effective because it is the most the most widely researched solution out of the four, it has been seen to work in multiple studies, and people are currently working on ways to mitigate the negative effects of culling. While culling is the most effective method individually, implementing and maintaining a combination of multiple solutions will allow for the most effective results. Determining the most effective method of eradicating invasive lionfish is important (particularly for fishermen and private organizationsin Florida) because lionfish are consuming dangerous amounts of fish in the Florida reef systems and destroying the environment. There are a variety of ways that culling could be implemented, from government agencies to private organizations.Item 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 Cape Town Taps Run Dry: Government’s Willful Ignorance Exacerbates the Problem(Keyhole Press, 2022) Goodner, RayanaThe water crisis of Cape Town, South Africa, in the mid-2010s revealed serious governmental corruption and damage, which ultimately had serious consequences on the outcome of the drought. The government implemented the Critical Water Shortage Disaster Plan in an attempt to fix the problem, but it ultimately exposed several institutional issues at a governmental level concerning leadership and misconduct. This paper seeks to highlight the issues brought on by the drought and the governmental failures and problems that were exacerbated by this national emergency.Item Connecting the Dots: Strengthening the Communication between Researchers, Community Members, and Policy Makers in the Florida Reef Tract(Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2020) Sturmer, KatieThe Florida Reef Tract (FRT) extends along the Southeastern coast of Florida and supports vast biodiversity, as well as Florida’s fishing and tourism industry. In recent years, the FRT experienced a decline in health, which can be attributed in part to anthropocentric influences. This essay argues that by strengthening communication between researchers, policy makers, and community members, FRT management schemes will become more holistic and allow the reef to recover. The model presented in this paper demonstrates how information from scientific research is used by both policy makers and the community to take action in both awareness and protection of the reef.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 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 "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 Evolutionary Pressures Exerted on the Hammerhead Shark Cranium: The Advantages of Varying Cephalofoil Sizes Based on Habitat(Keyhole Press, 2022) Johnson, SamThis paper addresses a new perspective on the discussion of the hammerhead shark cephalofoil. Past studies have been centered around identifying possible selective pressures that have brought on the development of this morphology and the evolutionary trade-off that hammerheads must negotiate because of its emergence. Rather than identifying all-encompassing environmental pressures that apply to all hammerhead species, recent research has prompted analysis of the varying environmental forces present in different habitats to explain the emergence and variability in the evolution of the hammerhead cephalofoil. This analysis of previously published studies concludes that pelagic (open ocean) species improve sensory capabilities at the expense of hydrodynamic efficiency through the possession of a large cephalofoil, and that coastal species have selected for improved hydrodynamics and maneuvering abilities at the expense of sensory acuity by reducing the size of the cephalofoil.Item Exploring Homosexuality Within Catholicism(Keyhole Press, 2022) Merch, KarolynHistorically, the Catholic Church has marginalized its homosexual followers due to their nonconforming sexuality. Further analysis will examine Pope Francis, prior papacies, and the continued stigma that homosexuals face within the Church in order to determine whether Pope Francis has enacted change. Such research will discredit the attempts of Pope Francis and reveal that while the acceptance of homosexuals within religion has liberalized, Catholic doctrinal law remains prejudiced against homosexual union. As a result, Catholics who identify as homosexual struggle to identify with the Church, which causes them additional strain in their personal endeavor to discover themselves.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 From Paradise to Punchline: How the Media Has Shaped Public Perception of Florida(Keyhole Press, 2021) Ruggles, HaleyFlorida has always encompassed an otherness that separates it from the rest of the United States. However, the exact nature of what makes Florida unique has shifted overtime. This essay examines how the media’s portrayal of Florida has impacted the way the state is viewed by the rest of the country. Starting after the civil war, Florida was portrayed as an exotic paradise. Today, the Florida Man trend has caused Florida to be viewed as place for lawlessness and strange crimes. To avoid a negative impact on Florida’s tourism industry in the future, Florida needs to be reinvented once again. This time, Florida’s rare beauty and ecotourism opportunities need to be highlighted in order to appeal to the desires of millennial travelers.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, 2017) Dooghan, Dr. Daniel, Ed.; Reamer, Dr. David, Ed.; Letter, Dr. Joseph, Ed.Editor's IntroductionItem [Front Matter] Royal Road: A Journal of Undergraduate Research(Keyhole Press, 2021) Reamer, David, Faculty Advisor; Letter, Joseph, Ed.; Rodriguez Rivera, Celina M., Student Editor; Sperry, Maggie, Student EditorTable of Contents and Editor's IntroductionItem [Front Matter] Royal Road: A Journal of Undergraduate Research(Keyhole Press, 2022) Reamer, David, Faculty Advisor; Letter, Joseph, Ed.; Landau, Taylor, Student Editor; Merola, Megan, Student EditorTable of Contents and Editor's IntroductionItem [Front Matter] Royal Road: A Journal of Undergraduate Research (Department of English and Writing, The University of Tampa, 2020) Dooghan, Dr. Daniel, Ed.; Reamer, Dr. David, Ed.; Letter, Dr. Joseph, Ed.Editor's Introduction
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