Fear Factor communications research project
During my final semester of college I volunteered to research a project entitled Fear Factor: Fear Appeals in the 2004 Presidential Campaign Debates. Communication majors at UW-La Crosse are required to complete a research project, but being a minor I was not obligated. Since my Spanish major did not entail a capstone project, I decided to perform the research. Through this project I developed an immense appreciation for research. I enjoyed immersing myself in the work and formulating a strategy for categorizing the fear appeals. After conducting the research and determining my results, I wrote this report to explain my method and conclusions. Read reportAztec Latin American literature essay
My professor for a Latin American literature course required the class to read Aztec by Gary Jennings. Although the book was formidable at the start, covering more than 1000 pages, it became one of the most rewarding classroom experiences I have ever completed. The fictional life story of an Aztec man in the period leading to the Spanish Conquest piqued my interest in the ancient culture and cultivated a passion for studying the atrocities of “la conquista.” Although I never would have read the book had it not been required, it easily vaulted to the top of my list of favorite books. From this I relearned the lesson that a well-written book about any topic can be fascinating. It renewed a desire to broaden my horizons in terms of literature that I read. I demonstrated my critical thinking skills by discussing two main topics in the essay: the similarities between the Aztec religion and Catholicism, and the main character’s insolence toward his Spanish conquerors. Read essay