thesis topics for speech language pathology

Speech-Language Pathology Master’s Programs Offering a Thesis Track

As speech-language pathology continues to extend its reach to serve diverse patient populations with an equally diverse set of challenges related to speech, language, articulation, feeding and swallowing, the field presents no shortage of topics that would benefit from further exploration.

• Emerson College - Master's in Speech-Language Pathology online - Prepare to become an SLP in as few as 20 months. No GRE required. Scholarships available.
• NYU Steinhardt - NYU Steinhardt's Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders online - ASHA-accredited. Bachelor's degree required. Graduate prepared to pursue licensure.
• Arizona State University - Online - Online Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science - Designed to prepare graduates to work in behavioral health settings or transition to graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology.

When selecting a master’s degree program for entry into the field, many SLP graduate students are faced with the decision of whether or not to go with a program involving a thesis project that would allow them the opportunity to contribute research to just such topics.

A thesis project is a major undertaking that involves considerable independent research and writing on an important topic of the candidate’s choice. The thesis is expected to contribute all new, if not groundbreaking, information to the field of speech language pathology.

Some recent SLP master’s thesis topics have included:

• Thematic Role of Priming of Related Verbs: Effects of Multiple Primes
• The Nature and Prevalence of Alexia with Aphasia
• Effects of Interdisciplinary Choral Singing Therapy On The Voice and Swallowing Function of Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease

These topics were all unexplored before graduate students undertook the research, but certainly are of interest to the SLP professional community and well worth investigating in-depth.

Similarly interesting and unexplored topics would serve as ideal subject matter for further research through a graduate thesis project.

Here we help explain the reasoning behind selecting a graduate program with a thesis track and the purpose this kind of program would serve, both for individual graduate students and the field of speech-language pathology.

Deciding on a Thesis Vs Non-Thesis Degree Track: Who Should Consider a Thesis Track

Most schools offering speech language pathology master’s programs offer both thesis and non-thesis degree tracks, both of which would prepare graduates to become licensed and certified SLPs.

The thesis requirement is considered optional.

As an extra undertaking, the thesis option makes the most sense for students who want to acquire an in-depth research background as a part of their master’s program, or whose ambitions are to continue in the field as teachers rather than practitioners. Other reasons to take on optional thesis projects might include a genuine interest and curiosity in the subject being investigated, or a desire to focus on that topic as an area of specialization when going into general practice after graduation.

Because SLP programs require an extensive clinical practicum of as many as 400 hours, not to mention the fact that graduate students must prepare for a post-graduate fellowship of as many as 1,260 hours, there would be very little time to take on a project and dedicate the depth of research that a thesis requires.

Most thesis track programs make up for this, in part, by allowing thesis-candidate students to audit some of their coursework, reducing the amount of time spent in class. Still, this alone rarely opens up the kind of time required to take on a thesis project.

At some universities, a thesis project can stand in for taking the comprehensive examination typically required of master’s program graduates, through virtually all graduates go on to take such an exam anyway for state licensing and, if they choose, ASHA’s CCC-SLP (Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology) certification.

The Thesis Process: From Proposal to Defense

There are a great number of formal steps required in researching, writing, and presenting a thesis. These will vary from program to program.

Six Stages of a Thesis Project

Generally, there are six primary stages to undertaking a thesis project:

• Find an academic advisor to support the project by filing a notice of intent with your school’s Department of Communication Disorders department chair
• Select a suitable research topic and file a thesis proposal with the your school’s Department of Communication Disorders
• Select a thesis committee to review the project
• Conduct the necessary research on the thesis topic
• Write the thesis paper in accordance with university and departmental style guides
• Present and defend the thesis paper before the thesis committee

Each of these stages will have a number of related steps and will often involve meeting other requirements, such as remaining registered for at least one class each semester while conducting the project and filing necessary paperwork with your school’s Department of Communication Disorders from time to time.

The Thesis Proposal

In conjunction with the adviser, the student will determine a thesis topic and create the proposal document. This is a substantial document in its own right and will essentially outline the process that the student hopes to follow in the course of the research project, detailing the elements required to prove or disprove the thesis statement. The proposal should include:

• An introduction to the topic
• A review of existing literature that touches on the subject, including previous research into the matter
• An outline of the methods and procedures the student proposes to use to perform original research on the subject

It is likely to take several months and a number of rounds of revisions to put together a solid thesis proposal. The thesis committee must approve the proposal before any actual work begins on the project. Their goal in approving it will be to ensure that, if the methods and procedures outlined are followed, they will be able to approve the results of the project regardless of the actual conclusions.

The Thesis Project

The larger part of the time spent on a thesis project will be spent doing the basic research required to substantiate the thesis statement. As outlined in the methods and procedures section of the proposal, the student will undertake original research into the subject of the thesis.

This could include …

• Conducting in-depth study of data generated from other research projects
• Conducting supervised studies directly with patients
• Working in conjunction with other SLPs to accumulate data in the field

After enough data has been gathered, the student will follow the methods outlined in their proposal to analyze it and draw forth conclusions about the thesis statement. Bringing all of these components together results in the thesis paper itself. The paper usually is divided into seven distinct parts:

• An introduction to the subject
• A review of existing literature on the subject
• The methodology with which the original research or investigation was conducted
• The results of that research
• A discussion of the results and their bearing on the thesis statement and what conclusions can be drawn from them
• An overall summary of the paper
• Citations and references

This can run to more than 100 pages of tightly reasoned, focused, legible writing.

Many different drafts will be written and reviewed by the student’s advisor, and many revisions will be required before the paper is considered adequate to present to the thesis committee.

The Thesis Defense

Presenting the results and report of the thesis project to the thesis committee for final approval and acceptance is known as conducting the thesis defense. Although it is very unusual for a thesis to be rejected, the process of going in front of several highly qualified and experienced professors to explain and defend the ideas and work that went into the project is intimidating.

The defense begins with the candidate providing copies of the thesis paper to all the members of the committee for their review several weeks before the final presentation. At that presentation, the candidate is expected to speak for an hour or more to concisely but rigorously present the results and conclusions of the thesis paper.

After the presentation, two or more hours will be spent with the committee asking questions and probing the candidate about the paper. Their goal will be to establish that the candidate genuinely understands the material, and that the research and conclusions presented are all accurate.

It is unusual for thesis papers to be accepted outright as first presented. The committee will usually require the candidate to make additional revisions on the basis of issues that are brought up in the defense before the project will finally be accepted.

Undertaking a thesis project during a speech language pathology master’s degree program is enormously challenging and unusual. For many students, however, it provides a depth of insight and experience into the field that other recent graduates are unlikely to possess. This can be a real advantage for those that have career goals that include teaching or research positions in academia.

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Home > School of Health Sciences > Speech-Language Pathology > Theses and Dissertations

Speech-Language Pathology Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2021 2021.

Thesis: SPEECH AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT OF BILINGUAL DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING CHILDREN , Joanne J. Ryu

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

Thesis: Visual Feedback In Voice Therapy for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease , Rachel Brooke Convey

Theses/Dissertations from 2018 2018

Thesis: Aphasia Couples Therapy: A Case Study of Conversational Coaching for a Man with Conduction Aphasia , Adriana Joma

Theses/Dissertations from 2008 2008

Thesis - Pacific Access Restricted: The effect of phonological and semantic cues on word retrieval in adults , Katheryn Elizabeth Burrill

Theses/Dissertations from 1980 1980

Thesis: A comparsion of verbal abilities of adult aphasic speakers : PICA verbal subtests and word-morpheme means , Joann Uhley

Theses/Dissertations from 1976 1976

Thesis: A comparison of comprehension of rate controlled speech by young aphasic and normal children , Deborah Gomez

Theses/Dissertations from 1973 1973

Thesis: The effects of time-altered speech on the auditory discrimination ability of aphasics , Frank DeRuyter

Theses/Dissertations from 1972 1972

Thesis: Relationship between electrical and acoustical characteristics of amplification systems and reduced auditory sensitivity , Carolyn Margaret Normoyle

Theses/Dissertations from 1971 1971

Thesis: Oral stereognosis and two-point discrimination ability of anterior tongue thrusters and normal swallowers , Lawrence Jay Friedman

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Recent Submissions

Effects of Aided Language Input Intensity on AAC Use 

Alternative Receptive Language Assessment Modalities and Stimuli for Children with ASD who are Minimally Verbal 

Evaluating Person-Centered Factors Associated with Brain-Computer Interface Access to a Commercial Augmentative and Alternative Communication Device 

The Feasibility of Language-Literacy Instruction Facilitated by Preschool Classroom Volunteers 

The test-retest reliability of the Western Aphasia Battery-Revised 

Does the Timing of Feedback Given to New Coders of the Communication Complexity Scale Affect Coding Reliability Scores? 

Noise Exposure, Self-Reported Speech-in-Noise Percpetion, and the Auditory Brainstem Response in Normal-Hearing Human Ears 

Intervention Planning for Children who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Exploring the Expert-Novice Gap in Speech-Language Pathologists’ Clinical Reasoning 

Contributions of Phonology and Orthography to Spelling in Children with Dyslexia 

A Feasibility Study of Shared Storybook Reading in a Sibling Dyad 

Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Family Perspectives 

Perspectives of Families and School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists on the Augmentative Alternative Communication (AAC) Experience 

Augmentative and Alternative Communication Continuing Education in the Schools: A National Survey 

Preservice Education in Augmentative and Alternative Communication: An Update 

The Effect of Activating the Medial Olivocochlear Fibers on Cochlear Distortions in Humans 

Communication Disorders Among Persons Experiencing Homelessness 

Mapping Chromosomal Loci in Specific Language Impairment: A Pedigree-Focused Approach 

A national survey: Teacher identification of specific language impairment 

Impact of Alternative & Augmentative Communication on the Utterance Length of Children with Limited Oral Language 

Identifying the Cellular Sources of the Low-Frequency Cochlear Response 

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Home > School, College, or Department > CLAS > Speech and Hearing Sciences > Dissertations and Theses

Speech and Hearing Sciences Dissertations and Theses

Theses/dissertations from 2022 2022.

The Effects of Language Proficiency on Narrative Macrostructure in Spanish-English Bilinguals , Jenny Magallon

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Ancillary Data for Refining Computer Adaptive Algorithms for the Assessment of Anomia , Emily Kathryn Tudorache

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Implicit Learning of Children With and Without Developmental Language Disorder Across Auditory and Visual Categories , Wanchi Yu

Theses/Dissertations from 2015 2015

Training and Application of Correct Information Unit Analysis to Structured and Unstructured Discourse , Audrey Bretthauer Cohen

Theses/Dissertations from 2010 2010

Current Assessment and Treatment Practices for Children with Autism and Suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech: A Survey of Speech-Language Pathologists , Elsa Jayne Dawson

Investigation of Speech Samples from Typically Developing Preschool Age Children: A Comparison of Single Words and Imitated Sentences Elicited with the PABA-E , Matthew William Olsen

Bilingual Spanish-English Speaking 4-Year-Old-Children: English Normative Data and Correlations with Parent Reports , Brooke Leann Powers

A Comparison of Single Word Identification, Connected Speech Samples, and Imitated Sentence Tasks for Assessment of Children with a SSD , Emily Katherine Snyder

Theses/Dissertations from 2003 2003

High Frequency Pure Tone Audiometry and High Frequency Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions: A Correlational Analysis , Kimberly J. Lavoie

Theses/Dissertations from 2000 2000

The Effect of Using Averaged Versus Custom Real-Ear to Coupler Difference Values in the Desired Sensation Level Approach to Prescribing Hearing Instrument Gain , John Aaron Coverstone

Teacher Self-Disclosure From the Perspective of International Students in the Communication Classroom : A Case Study , Darlene J. Geiger

An Evaluation of Earobics I in Improving Phonological Awareness in 6- And 7-Year-Old Boys Who Are At-Risk for Reading Disabilities , Wendy Goughnour Gunter

Effects of Three Training Components in an AAC Intervention for an Adult With Severe Broca’s Aphasia , Bradley Josef Hendershott

International Students' Experiences in Higher Education: A Case Study Examining Uncertainty Reduction Theory in Communication Classrooms , Susan Kuhn

Theses/Dissertations from 1998 1998

A Longitudinal Study of the Career Maturity Patterns of Individuals with Clefts , Joyce Johnson Anderson

The Effectiveness of Hypermedia Training vs. Traditional Classroom Instruction in Stuttering , Micheal Dean Baran

Speech Production Patterns Following Management of Velopharyngeal Inadequacy , Debra Lynn Childs

Impact of Singing Intervention on Vocal Fatigue Effects : A Single Subject Study , Nancy Devine Ferguson

Speech Intelligibility of 4-Year-Old Children , M. Jane Firestone

Career Orientation Levels in Adolescents : A Comparison of Cleft and Noncleft Subgroups , Tara Darice Gaddis

Role of the Warrant in Presidential Debates : 1960, 1976, & 1996 , Aaron Nicole Kaio

Concurrent Validity of Mental Ability Screening Tools : A Comparison of Normal Students’ Performance on the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test and the Shipley Institute of Living Scale-Revised , D. Melanie Peters

The Effect of Diastema Closure on the Remediation of Lateral /S/: A Case Study , Reta Price

Information Content in American Television Advertising : A Replication and Update , Laura Kathleen Sandgren

Theses/Dissertations from 1997 1997

Examination of Benefits of Binaural Auditory Stimulation for Children with a Cochlear Implant and a Hearing Aid in the Contralateral Ear , Evonne Nicol Altesleben

Perceptions of Stuttering Intervention Services Received at Portland State , Franklin Wayne Bender

The Juice Is Loose?: A Qualitative Study of Employees’ Perceptions of Informal and Formal Communication Channels , Warren Jerome Brown

A Survey of Swallowing Symptoms Associated With the Premenstrual Cycle , Jill Gigi Calcagno

The Effectiveness of Planned Transitions Therapy in the Treatment of Three Children with Developmental Verbal Dyspraxia , Emily M. Campbell

An Ethnographic Study of Chinese Adolescent Identity in Taipei, Taiwan : Franchise Hangouts , Jui-fang Ruby Chen

Gross Estimation: A Study of the Clinical Validity for Measuring Intelligibility , Heather Gail Clarke

"Blame It on Intake” : A Critical Ethnography of the Negotiation of Access to Shelter Services in a Shelter for Homeless and Battered Women , Kathleen Marie Drew

First Language and Gesture Acquisition in Children with Cerebral Palsy , Ann Christine Friel

The Language of Transformation in a "Conversation for Possibility": A Metaphor Analysis , Deborah Jean Gabbert

Conflict Is Optional, Difference Is Not : Toward a Difference-Based Approach to Interpersonal Communication , James Arthur Gieseking Jr

An Ethnography of Classroom Interaction in Hoshuko : A Case Study of the Japanese Supplementary School Classroom , Nobuko Higashi

A Study of the Level of Knowledge of Adult Foster Care Home Providers in Multnomah County in the State of Oregon About Hearing Loss, Hearing Aids and Communication Strategies , Marsha Peters Johnson

Temporal Characteristics of Fluent Speech in the Stuttered Utterances of Children , Dixon Ira Kirsch

Oregon Survey of Initial Nursing Care for Infants with Cleft Lip ± Palate , Kirsten Joy Lindaas

A Comparison of Parent Interview and Direct Assessment of Receptive Language in Preschool-aged Children with Cerebral Palsy , Susan Kathleen Livick

A Lay Theory of Relational Satisfaction with Best Friends in Japan , Eriko Maeda

Effects of Orofacial Clefts on Early Career Maturity , JeannieKay McCall

Rethinking Appropriateness: A look at Hegemonic Ideals as Related to Perceived Communication Competence In Women , Kristi L. Meade

Comparison of Intelligibility Estimation and Orthographic Transcription Methods by Preprofessional Speech-Language Pathologists , Kristi M. Mowe

Effects of Lifestyle Change and Satisfaction with Voice on Psychosocial Adjustment of Laryngectomees , Susan M. Nicks

The Generalization of Stridency from Treated to Untreated Misarticulated Phonemes , Kathleen Ann Ozanich

Receptive Language and Cognitive Skills in Preschool-Aged Children with Cerebral Palsy , Susan Elizabeth Panton

Real Ear to Coupler Differences in Children and The Effects of Hearing and Microphone Location , Cindy Richardson

A Comparison of Speech Onset Latencies Between Persons Who Stutter and Persons Who Do Not Stutter Across Varied Phonological Priming Conditions , Brian Joseff Riffel

Voice Measures and Listener Acceptance of Tracheoesophageal Speech , Heidii Ilona Roberts

A Comparison of Listener and Speaker Perception of Stuttering Events , Anne Jocelyn Schagen

Ethnography of Communication as on Organizational Communication Assessment Tool: A Test of the Method , Francisca Inez Trujillo-Dalbey

Gangstas, Niggas, Bitches and Hos : A Narrative Analysis of Gangsta’ Rap Lyrics , Darnell A. Watson

Sexual Intercourse : A Feminist Reading of Strip Joint Discourse , Regina Marie Howard Yaroch

Theses/Dissertations from 1996 1996

Children with Early Language Delay: A Group Case Study of Outcomes in Intermediate Grades , Tracey Abild-Lane

Using a Computer Program about Pediatric Hearing Evaluations to help Educate Parents , Jeanne E. Aleskus

Parental Perceptions of the Efficacy of Clinical Intervention for Speech-Language Disorders at Portland State University's Speech and Language Clinic , Deborah Ellen Anderson

Examining the Relationship between Three Speech Features and Intelligibility Ratings of Black English Preschoolers as Judged by Standard English Listeners , Britteny Sue Asher

Intervention History of Children with Slow Expressive Language Development , Kathleen Belfiore

An Analysis of Spondee Recognition Thresholds in Auditory-only and Audio-visual Conditions , Brenene Marie Brady-Herbst

Influence of Articulation and Phonology Intervention on Children's Social and Emotional Characteristics , Tracy Lynn Carlisle

A Comparison of Speech Intelligibility Measures Between Unsophisticated Listener Judgements and Orthographic Transcription , Carla J. Dukart

Effects of Posttraining Maintenance Sessions on Aphasic Subjects' Verbal Labeling , Connie Allene Freed

Speech Understanding in Noise as a Function of Microphone Placement in Hearing Aids , Erin Marlene Flowers Hand

A Study of the Narrative Skills of 7-Year Olds with Normal, Impaired, and Late Developing Language , Rita F. Hernandez

An Organizational Profile: Members' Understanding of Discrimination , Debra Cay Hornibrook

Gender Differences in the Language Development of Late-talking Toddlers at Age 3 , Nancy Ann Johnson

Temperament Differences in Children with a History of Slow Expressive Language Development and Their Peers with Normal Language Development , Beth Ann Jones

Temperament and Language Development in First Grade Children , Loretta Marcia Kellogg

Comparison of Two Phonological Treatment Procedures for a Child with Phonological Deviations , Katherine Vaughan Kemper

Temporal Characteristics of Words Surrounding a Moment of Stuttering in Preschool-age Children , Gregory Keith Lilly

A Study of the Correlation between the Articulation Competence Index (ACI) and the Percentage of Words Understood in the Continuous Speech of 4- and 5-year-olds of Varying Phonological Competence , Susan Coll Mitchell

Phonological Awareness Skills in Children with Highly Unintelligible Speech , Sheryl Mohwinkel

Parental Perceptions of Articulation Intervention Services Received at Portland State University , Janet Ann Murphy

Reading Abilities and Phonological Skills of Second Grade Children with Three Different Language Histories: Normal, Delayed, and Chronically Delayed , Candace Jane Murray

Speech Recognition with Linear and Non-linear Amplification in the Presence of Industrial Noise , Marcia Ann Olson

Gender Differences in Adaptive Behavior between Two-year-old Boys and Girls with Slow Expressive Language Development , Christine Lee Rusnak

Relationship of Marital Types and Conflict Styles , Lynn Marie Stanek

Understanding Pre-service Teachers' Conceptualizations of Diversity , Terrine Louise Borwn Vogt

A Pilot Study: Normative Data on the Intelligibility of 3 1/2 Year Old Children , Karen Mary Ware

The Effectiveness of a Self-directed Inservice Program to Educate Teachers about the Classroom Needs of Students with Hearing Impairment , Teresa Michelle Whiteley

Adolescents and Sex on the Soaps: A Content Analysis , Jenelle Gay Winter

Theses/Dissertations from 1995 1995

Effects of Oral and Silent Reading on the Reading Comprehension Performance of Left Hemisphere-damaged Individuals , Paul K. Akers

Validity and Efficiency of the Check-Slash Transcription Method for Measuring Intelligibility , Vicky Jo Bacon

Methods of Language Assessment: A Survey of Oregon Public School Speech-language Pathologists , Staci Lee Johnson Ball

The Effectiveness of the Phonological Cycling Approach in Treating an Unintelligible Child in the First Two Cycles of Intervention , Anne Cole

A Study Comparing Musical Abilities of Stutterers and Nonstutterers , Megan Creswell

A Correlational Study: the 1-Minute Measure of Homonymy and Intelligibility , Tamra Leanne Day

Dialogue and Critical Thinking in Personal Action , Amanda Elizabeth Feller

Effects of Receptive Language Deficits on Persisting Expressive Language Delays , Traci Lee Giacherro

Limiting Noise Exposure Associated with Hearing Aid Use , Alison Mary Gilbert

Comparison of Prescribed Versus Actual Gain for Children with Profound Hearing Impairments , Kristin Rashelle Gilmer

The Effects of Ear Canal Pressure Variation on Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions , Jodi L. Head

The Affects of Vocal Fatigue on Fundamental Frequency and Frequency Range in Actresses as Opposed to Non-Actresses , Ruth Ann Jenkins

Silence: A Comparison of Japanese and U.S. Interpretation , Mimi Murayama

An Exploration of Theoretical Issues Related to Mediation Found in the Social Science Literature , Cheryl E. Nally

Independent Acoustic Stimulation of the Amphibian and Basilar Papillae of Rana pipiens , Mark Parker

A Study of the Duration of Words Surrounding a Moment of Stuttering , Jennifer Dawn Peterson

Clinical Application of Two Phonological-based Treatment Approaches , Holly Kiesz Royer

Using a Computer Program to Influence the Expectations Senior Adults have Regarding Hearing Aids , Carol I. Sayre

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Home > Education > Communication Disorders > Theses and Dissertations

Communication Disorders Theses and Dissertations

Theses/dissertations from 2024 2024.

Prosodic Speech Rate, Utterance Duration, Interruption Rate, and Turn-Taking Latency in Autistic and Neurotypical Adults , Grace Madeline Bell

Marriage and Family Therapists' Perspectives of Working With Couples Impacted by Aphasia: General Perceptions and Response to Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training , Madison Rae Christensen

Measuring the Effects of Selective and Divided Attention Conditions on Language Production: Comparing Across Age Groups for Aphasia Assessment , Emily McDonald

Theses/Dissertations from 2023 2023

Interference Between Speaking and Computer Tasks in Younger and Older Adults , Paige Elise Asay

The Reversibility of Effects of Combination Inhaled Corticosteroids on Sustained Phonation Pressure and Flow in Ex Vivo Rabbit Larynges , Elisabeth Barlow

Microaggressions That Students From Underrepresented Groups Experience in Communication Sciences and Disorders , Samantha Berryhill

The Effects and Reversibility of Combination Inhaled Corticosteroids on Phonation Threshold Pressure (PTP) and Phonation Threshold Flow (PTF) in Ex Vivo Rabbit Larynges , Melanie Elizabeth Blauer

Validating a Predictive Early Kindergarten Dynamic Assessment of Word Level Reading and Language , Taylor Jordan Cena

The Effect of Speaking Context on Articulatory Kinematics in Habitual and Clear Speech , Lauren Elizabeth Clarke

Survey of Reading Habits and Dialogic Book Reading Practices in Parents of Preschool-Aged Children , Kimberly Cronin

Prosodic Pitch and Intensity in Autistic Individuals , Cassidy Gooch

Emotion, Sensory Processing, and Prosody in Neurotypical and Autistic Young Adults , Annika Henderson

Quantifying Speech Pause Durations in Typical English Speakers , John Hoffer

The Effects of an Oral Narrative and Expository School-Age Language Intervention: A Low-Dosage Study , Giana H. Hunsaker

Behavioral and Physiologic Relationships Between Sensory Processing, Attention, and Prediction in Autistic Children: An Eye Tracking Study , Courtney Hunter

The Impact of Speech Pause on the Perceived Effectiveness and Likability of a Speaker's Communication , Rebecca Lyman

Accounting for Oral Language Skills in Children With Dyslexia: A Systematic Review of the Literature , Natalie Kay Olsen Miller

The Acceptability of Relationship-Centered Communication Partner Training for Couples Impacted by Aphasia: A Mixed Methods Pilot Study , Kathryn-Anne Pertab

Examining the Validity of the CUBED Narrative Language Measures Listening and Reading Subtests , Trevor David Read

The Effects of Time Pressure on Speech Fluency in Aging Adults: Comparisons With Divided Attention , Caleb Henderson Sanford

Investigating Speech Perception in Children With Speech Delay, Dyslexia, and Speech Delay and Dyslexia , Lauren Marie Spencer

Bidirectional Interference Between Speech and Mathematical, Language, or Visuospatial Tasks in Younger and Older Adults , Chanelle Thomas

Exploring Posttraumatic Growth in Aphasia: A Qualitative Investigation , Camille Williams

Theses/Dissertations from 2022 2022

A Comparative Study on the Expository Writing Abilities of Kindergarten Students With and Without Developmental Language Disorder , Kristine Michelle Dayley Andrus

Interference Between Speaking and Computer Tasks and Their Effects on Physiologic Arousal , Tiana Walker Bateman

Intolerance of Uncertainty, Sensory Processing, and Related Correlates in Autistic Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic , Mollie Bradley

The Behavioral and Neurophysiologic Relationships Between Sensory Processing and Autistic Traits in Emerging Adults , Savanah Calton

Auditory Brainstem Response in Autistic Children: Potential Implications for Sensory Processing , Madelyn Cate

Examining the Preliminary Validity of a Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language in Mandarin Chinese , Lok Yee Sarah Cheung

External Laryngeal Oscillation and Aerodynamic Measures of Voice Onset: A Translational Study , Erik McLeod Christensen

Diagnostic Accuracy of Nonword Repetition Tasks for the Clinical Assessment of Spanish-English Dual Language Learners: A Preliminary Investigation , Audrey Czirr

The Effects of Dialogic Reading on the Oral Language of Diverse Kindergarten Students , Abigail Figgins

The Impact of Background Noise on the Communicative Experience of People With Mild to Moderate Aphasia: A Qualitative Study , Riley Robertson Hegewald

Comparing Relative and Absolute Reliability of Short Versus Long Narrative Retells , Jenna Hollis

The Effects of Stimulus Type on Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Speech Perception in Typical Adults , Melannee Wursten Ipsen

Effects of an External Oscillation Device on Phonation Threshold Pressure (PTP) , Brittany Tiffany Jones

Effects of Background Noise on the Spoken Language of Young and Older Adults During Narrative Discourse , Erin LeCheminant

The Effect of Two Rate Change Approaches on Speech Movement Patterns , Noelle Marie Lewis

Interprofessional Education for School-Based Settings , Brittney M. Mack

Speech Pause in People With Aphasia Across Word Length, Frequency, and Syntactic Category , Lana Mitchell

Defining Dyslexia Within and Across Disciplines: A Systematic Review of the Literature , Ann Marie Trumbo

An Exploratory Study of Behavioral Engagement in People With and Without Aphasia: Comparisons and Relationships , Vivian Elisabeth Ward

The Analysis of Omission and Substitution Errors in Various Language Tasks in Bilingual Children , Macy Whiting

A Randomized Control Trial Examining the Effects of a Multi-Tiered Oral Narrative Language Intervention on Kindergarten Expository Writing , Shaylee Rae Woods

Theses/Dissertations from 2021 2021

Variability of the Aerodynamic Measures of Leporine Larynges Exposed to Inhaled Corticosteroids , Miriam Angela Cannon Bake

Autistic Traits, Sensory Processing, and Intolerance of Uncertainty: Neurobiological and Behavioral Correlates , Maggie Buckhannon

Atypical Sensory Processing and Semantic Language in Autistic Children , Charlene L. Cooper

Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language for Diverse School-Age Children With and Without Language Disorder: A Large-Scale Psychometric Study , Anahi Kamila DeRobles

Effects of Background Noise on the Speech Acoustics of People With Aphasia , Kirsten Dixon

Norming a Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language for Diverse School-Age Children With and Without Language Disorder: A Preliminary Psychometric Study , Ashley Elizabeth Frahm

Measuring Speech Perception in Children With Speech Sound Disorders Using the Wide Range Acoustic Accuracy Scale , Briel Francis Garner

The Effect of Rate Control Cueing Modality on Articulatory Patterns , Amelia Caroline Jackson

Spatial Resolution of Quantitative Electroencephalography and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging During Phoneme Discrimination Tasks: An Abbreviated Meta-Analysis , Emily Jean Jacobs

Physiological Arousal, Emotion, and Word Retrieval in Aphasia: Effects and Relationships , Angela Lynne Johnson

The Use of Nonword Repetition Tasks in the Assessment of Developmental Language Disorder in Bilingual Children , Kirsten Kelly

Improving the Oral Narrative and Expository Language of Kindergarten Students and Reducing the Matthew Effect , Taylor Camille Magleby

Correlations Between Cognitive Pause Patterns and Listener Perceptions of Communicative Effectiveness and Likeability for People With Aphasia , Heidi Raylene McConaghie

Effects of Inhaled Combination Corticosteroid Drugs on Aerodynamic Measures of Phonation and Visual-Perceptual Measures of Vocal Fold and Arytenoid Tissue in Excised Rabbit Larynges , Christina Lynn Pang

The Perceived Effect of Pause Length and Location on Speaker Likability and Communicative Effectiveness , Julia M. Price

Phonation Threshold Pressure and Phonation Threshold Flow in Rabbits Treated With Inhaled Corticosteroids Versus Controls , Heidi Joan Robison

The Impact of Background Noise on the Spoken Language of People With Mild to Moderate Aphasia: A Preliminary Investigation , Brenna DeLyn Scadden

How Word Characteristics Affect Language-Mediated Eye Movements in Preschoolers With Varying Language Ability , Shelby Nicole Slocum

Quantifying Speech Pause Durations in Speakers With Nonfluent and Fluent Aphasia , Brooke K. Thomas

Behavioral and Neural Correlates of Sensory Processing and Anxiety in Autistic Children , Kelsey Lee Ustach Tindall

The Influence of Pause on Listeners' Perceptions in Speech of People With Aphasia , Emily Wright

Theses/Dissertations from 2020 2020

Kinematic and Acoustic Adaptation to a Bite Block During Syllable Production , Allison Marie Barney

Kinematic and Acoustic Adaptation in Response to Electromagnetic Articulography Sensor Perturbation , Emily Adelaide Bartholomew

The Effects of Distracting Background Audio on Speech Production , Camille Margaret Cowley

The Development and Preliminary Evidence of Validity and Reliability of a Spanish Static and Dynamic Assessment of Decoding , Kayla Brooke Ditty

The Classification Accuracy of a Dynamic Assessment of Language in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Children When Using Response to Intervention as a Measure of Language Ability , Yuberkys Fryer

A Longitudinal Investigation of the Effects of a Kindergarten Multi-Tiered Oral Narrative Language Intervention on Later Literacy Outcomes , Tristin Carolyn Hampshire

Aerodynamic Measurement Stability During Rabbit Versus Pig Benchtop Phonation , Megan Caroline Hoggan

Effects of a Large Group Combined Narrative and Expository Language Intervention on Oral Language in Third Graders , Kylie Lynn Lee

Effects of Positive and Negative Emotional Valence on Response TimeDuring a Confrontational Naming Task: Findings from People with Aphasia and Young Adults , Corinne Jones Loveridge

Speech Perception of Global Acoustic Structure in Children with Speech Delay, with and Without Dyslexia , Mikayla Nicole Madsen

Speech Perception of Global Acoustic Structure in Children With Speech Delay, With and Without Dyslexia , Mikayla Nicole Madsen

The Classification Accuracy of a Dynamic Assessment of Inferential Word Learning for School-Age Children With and Without Language Disorder , Britney Ann Newey

Language-Mediated Eye Behaviors During Storybook Reading as aFunction of Preschool Language Ability , Emily Joy Nicholls

Effect of Positive and Negative Emotion on Naming Accuracy in Adults with Aphasia , Courtney Paige Nielsen

The Effect of Laryngeal Activity on the Articulatory Kinematics of /i/ and /u/ , Mendocino Nicole Peacock

The Efficacy of EPG Assisted L2 Pronunciation Instruction: An Audio-Perceptual Analysis of the Speech of Native Japanese Learners of English , Emily Louise Peterson

A Comparison of Phonation Threshold Pressure and Phonation Threshold Flow Between Pig and Rabbit Benchtop-Mounted Larynges , Amber Christeen Prigmore

Using Parallel Narrative-Based Measures to Examine the Relationship Between Listening and Reading Comprehension , Collette Leifson Warr

Theses/Dissertations from 2019 2019

A Social Communication Intervention to Facilitate Emotion Word Learning in School-Age Children with Developmental Language Disorders , Sara Elise Avila

A Large-Scale Clustered Randomized Control Trial Examining the Effects of a Multi-Tiered Oral Narrative Language Intervention on Kindergarten Oral and Written Narratives and Oral Expository Language , Mollie Paige Brough

The Effects of Distracting Background Audio on Spontaneous Speech , Kacy Nicole Chapman

The Distinction Between Lingua-Palatal Contact Patterns of English Light and Dark [ɫ]: A Precursor to Using Electropalatography in Second Language Instruction , Kallie Lynne Chaves

The Cross-Validation of the Classification Accuracy of a Dynamic Assessment of Narrative Language for School-Age Children with and Without Language Disorder , Kallie Dawn Clark

Developmental Language Disorders and Reticence in Childhood , Aimee Diehl

Improving Narrative and Expository Language: A Comparison of Narrative Intervention to Shared Storybook Reading , Karee Douglas

The Ability of Children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) to Infer Emotions from Pictures: Where's the Breakdown? , Mary Rebekah Forbes

Agreement Between Parent and Teacher Ratings of Social Communication Abilitieson the Children's Communication Checklist-Second Edition , Courtney Lynn Hammond

A Discourse Analysis of Clinician-Child Interactions Within a Meaning-Based Phonological Intervention , Brittany Appleby Long

Kinematic and Acoustic Vowel Changes in Adult Bite Block Speech , Tanner Keith Low

The Impact of Electropalatography in Teaching the /r/-/l/ Sound Contrast for Native Japanese Language Learners of English: Evidence from Lingua-Palatal Contact , Nicole Rose McDougal

Sociability in Children with Developmental Language Disorder , Miranda Elizabeth Miller

Modeling Subglottic Stenosis Effects on Phonation Threshold Pressure in the Porcine Larynx , Jessica Maryn Murphey

Mismatch Negativity Event Related Potential Elicited by Speech Stimuli in Geriatric Patients , Dana Lynn Pierce

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Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders

Ph.D. Dissertations

Here is a list of dissertations recently completed in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.  All recent dissertations can be accessed by  http://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/comd_etd/ .

Larsen, D.H.S. (2023). Associations of Quantitative Swallowing Measures to Functional Outcomes in head and neck Cancer.

Parker, L.A. (2022). Defining change beyond a binary system: Measurement and interpretation of degrees of dysphonia severity in individual and across voice disorders.

Vaughn, L. (2021). African American English-speaking children's judgments of grammaticality: Effects of clinical status and grammatical structures.

Treleaven, S. (2021).  Verbal response inhibition and stuttering in adults.

Mazumdar, B. (2020).  Identifying a culturally appropriate stimulus for the Bangla picture description task.

Nakkawita, S. (2020).  Comparison of High-Tech Augmentative and Alternative Communication Interfaces: Do Age and Technology Experience Matter?

Tyson, C. (2018). Scaffolded play as a predictor of change in language and play in children with autism.

Parr, C. (2018). Evaluation of oral function before and after frenectomy in breastfed infants diagnosed with tethered oral tissue. 

Parker, R. (2016) The contribution of self-regulation to reading comprehension in adolescent learners.

Riviere, A.M. (2016)   VA-ET-VIENT, the goin’ and comin’ of infinitival ‘To’ : A study of children with and without specific language impairment in Cajun English.

Gregory, K. D. (2015). Evaluation of teacher ratings to improve child language screenings in speech-language pathology.

Porter, K. L. (2015). Caregiver perceptions of speech-language pathologist (SLP) communication: Examining how SLPs talk with caregivers about child language disorders.

Delrose, L. N. (2015). Effects of encoding practice on alphabet, phonemic awareness, and spelling skills of students with developmental delays.

Turner, L. M.  (2015).  An analysis of spelling patterns produced by elementary school-aged speakers of African American English.

Berry, J. R. (2015). Use of copula and auxiliary BE by African American children with Gullah/Geechee heritage.

Varnado, C. (2015). Treatment of efficacy of manual therapy on speech outcomes in children with spastic cerebral Palsy: A single-subject experiment design.

Bradshaw, J. (2014). Pragmatics, prosody, and social skills of school-age children with language-learning differences.

Bourque Meaux, A. (2013). Addressing the higher level language skills for the common core state standards in kindergarten.

Randolph, C. (2012). Effects of rhyming instruction on learning the alphabetic principle, phoneme awareness, and rhyming complexity skills with at-risk kindergarten students.

Tausch, C. (2012). A syntax-based reading intervention for English as second-language learners.

Collins, M. (2012). Comparing the treatment effectiveness of conversational and traditional aphasia treatments based on conversational outcome.

Juengling, J. (2012). A single-subject study examining the effects of a behavioral intervention for verbal recurrent perseveration.

Virani, A. (2012). Effects of two different behavioral swallowing exercise protocols performed during radiation therapy on swallowing physiology, function, quality-of-life and weight oucomes following organ-preservation treatments for head and neck cancers.

Moland, C. (2011). A comparison of the Diagnostic Evaluation of Language Variation Screener (DELV-ST) to two other screeners for low-income African American children.

Collins, G. (2011). An examination of errors of coherence in adolescent sentence combination.

Stead, A. (2011). Time of day effects on language discourse in healthy aging and dementia.

Morris, L. (2010). Behaviors and beliefs of African American caregivers as related to their children’s language-literacy development.

Newkirk, B. (2010). The auxiliary system of typically developing children acquiring African American English.

Brinkley, S. (2010). Investigation of a classroom-based reading intervention strategy for older elementary students with poor decoding skills.

Downey, C. M. (2010). Child acquisition of referring expressions.

Klumpp, M. (2010). The effects of vestibular rehabilitation on kinematic performance and physical function in chronic unilateral vestibular patients.

Powell, R. (2009). The effects of visual representations on teacher training of phonological awareness principles.

Cleveland, L. (2009). Children’s productions of verbal -s by dialect type and clinical status.

Fitzgerald, D. (2008). The investigation of treatment outcomes for adults with chronic brain injury following intensive multidisciplinary treatment.

Brazier-Carter, P. M. (2008). Language learning through storybook reading in headstart.

McInnis, A. T. (2008). Phonemic awareness and sight word reading in toddlers.

Terrell, P. (2007). Alphabetic and phonemic awareness in toddlers.

Banajee, M. H. (2007). Effects of adapted phonic faces story books on phonological skills of children with severe expressive language disorders.

Garrity, A. (2007). A study of auxiliary BE in African American English: A comparison of children with and without specific language impairment.

Pruitt, S. (2006). Grammatical morphology of children reared in poverty: Implications for specific language impairment.

Dinkins, E. (2005). Examining middle school students learning language arts skills in context.

Hurley, A. (2004). Behavioral and electrophysiological assessment of children with specific temporal processing disorder.

Blanchet, P. (2002). Factors influencing the efficacy of delayed auditory feedback in treating dysarthria associated with parkinson’s disease.

Daniels, S. (2001). Physiology and lateralization of swallowing: A comparison between young and old adults.

Witt, E. (2000). Differential effects of interactive versus performative styles of storytelling on attention and learning in at-risk children.

Miller, P. (2000). Professional versus caregiver ratings of the communicative abilities of adults displaying moderate to profound communication challenges.

Horohov, J. (1999). Input manipulations, working memory, and word learning abilities of children.

Smith, E. (1999). The performance of prekindergarten children on representational tasks across levels of displacement.

DeKemel, K. (1998). Using scaffolded interaction to improve LLD readers’ inferencing and narrative abilities.

Del Toro, J. (1998). An examination of automatic versus strategic semantic priming effects in broca’s aphasia.

Martino, N. (1998). Investigation of two treatment approaches for improving college students’ comprehension of science text.

Higgins, K. (1998). A comparative study of communication intervention for nonverbal children with autism.

Crowe, L. (1996). Training parents to facilitate language through storybook reading.

Mendoza, A. (1996). The use of communication facilitators with severely brain injured nonresponsive adults.

Reichmuth, S. (1996). Efficacy of communicative reading strategies as an instructional approach for adult low-ability readers.

Bradshaw, M. L. (1995). The efficacy of scaffolding strategies in holistic language intervention on language and phonologically delayed children.

Michaelson-Ezell, M. (1995). Evaluating the efficacy of communication reading strategies with high risk first grade students.

Oxley, J. (1995). The effect of developmental factors on the use of an electronic communication device.

Stiegler, L. (1994). Discourse-based intervention for children’s word finding problems.

Badon, L. (1993). Comparison of word recognition and story retelling under the conditions of contextualized versus decontextualized reading events in at-risk poor readers.

Hayes, P. (1993). An examination of the spontaneously generated and retold narratives produced by gifted/learning disabled adolescents from an integrated perspective of language development.

Mendoza, L. (1993). Factors affecting the time-course of auditory stream segregation.

Simmons-Mackie, N. (1993). An ethnographic investigation of compensatory strategies in aphasia.

Roussel, N. (1992). Perceptual evaluation of infant articulatory transitions.

Armstrong, M. (1991). An ethnographic investigation of the integration of disabled and nondisabled two-year-old children.

Christman, S. (1990). The role of sonority in jargon aphasia.

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Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Speech-language pathology'

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Williams, A. Lynn. "Tests and Measurements in Speech-Language Pathology." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2001. https://www.amzn.com/0750670037.

Leon, Michelle. "Investigation of Bilingualism Knowledge of Speech-Language Pathologists and Speech-Language Pathology Students." FIU Digital Commons, 2015. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2177.

MUZIO, DIANE. "Clinical Supervision of Externs in Speech-Language Pathology." OpenSIUC, 2017. https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/dissertations/1467.

Sokkar, Carl. "Student Placements in Speech Language Pathology Private Practice." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/21149.

Watts, Pappas N., Sharynne McLeod, Elizabeth Crais, L. Girolametto, E. Weitzman, A. Packman, M. Langevin, A. Eriks-Brophy, B. Mathisen, and A. Lynn Williams. "Working with Families in Speech-language Pathology for Children." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2008. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2074.

Hancock, Jennifer J. "Impact of speech-language pathology students on patient care." Thesis, National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, 1997. http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/s4/f2/dsk2/ftp04/mq21169.pdf.

Gurley, Janet Michelle. "Supervisory Feedback in Speech-Language Pathology: Preferences and Practices." [Johnson City, Tenn. : East Tennessee State University], 2000. http://etd-submit.etsu.edu/etd/theses/available/etd-0404100-124033/unrestricted/5-1GURLEY.pdf.

McLeod, Sharynne, and Sarah Verdon. "Tutorial: Speech Assessment for Multilingual Children Who Do Not Speak the Same Language(s) as the Speech-Language Pathologist." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1994.

Reece, Benjamin K. "Facilitating collaborative supervision in a university speech-language pathology clinic." Scholarly Commons, 2020. https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/uop_etds/3667.

Cleator, Hilary M. "Speech and language characteristics of selectively mute children a speech pathology perspective H.M. Cleator." Thesis, The University of Sydney, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/2123/3926.

Proctor-Williams, Kerry. "Language and Literacy." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1813.

Williams, A. Lynn, and Carol Stoel-Gammon. "Identification of Speech-language Disorders in Toddlers." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2038.

Klop, Daleen. "Quality management in a private speech-language therapy practice." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1998. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26577.

Janse, van Vuren Marinet. "Speech and language therapy service delivery for children with cerebral palsy in the Republic of Ireland : comparative perceptions of parents and speech-language therapists." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2920.

Guntupalli, Vijaya K., (Guntupalli) Chaya D. Nanjundeswaran, Vikram N. Dayalu, and Joseph Kalinowski. "Autonomic and Emotional Responses of Graduate Student Clinicians in Speech–Language Pathology to Stuttered Speech." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1764.

Ensslen, Anysia J. "EXPERIENCES OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENTS: AN EXPLORATORY PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY." UKnowledge, 2013. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/edl_etds/5.

Taylor, Jessica Nicole. "Judging communicative competence: investigating age-related stereotypes in speech-language pathology students." Thesis, University of Iowa, 2014. https://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/1405.

Dunst, Carl J., A. Lynn Williams, Carol M. Trivette, Andrew Simkus, and Deborah W. Hamby. "Relationships Between Inferential Reading Language Strategies and Young Children’s Comprehension and Expressive Language Competencies." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2010.

Williams, A. Lynn, S. M. Camarata, Nancy J. Scherer, and P. Hoffman. "The Relationship between Speech and Language Impairments in Children." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1997. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/2110.

Adams, C., Kelli Morgan, Julie Phillips, Emilee Rehm, Brianna Stampler, and Kerry Proctor-Williams. "The Narrative Skills of Children with Specific Language Impairment and Typical Language." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2018. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1815.

Phillips, Julie, Courtney Adams, Kelli Morgan, Emilee Rehm, Brianna Stampler, and Kerry Proctor-Williams. "The Narrative Skills of Children with Specific Language Impairment and Typical Language." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2017. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1818.

Matthias, Kristine C. "I Spy Language: Finding Language Opportunities in Everyday Activities." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2016. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1543.

Scherer, Nancy J., A. Lynn Williams, Carol Stoel-Gammon, and Ann Kaiser. "Assessment of Single-Word Production for Children under Three Years of Age: Comparison of Children with and without Cleft Palate." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1998.

Proctor-Williams, Kerry. "We’re Talking Now." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2012. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1838.

Grigas, Leah. "Collaboration begins in the classroom| Future teachers discuss their knowledge, preparedness, and perceptions regarding speech-language concepts and collaboration with speech-language pathologists." Thesis, California State University, Long Beach, 2015. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=1588614.

Since the education system has shifted towards inclusive classrooms, the need for collaboration between teachers and the special education team has increased. This study was a survey design completed by 8 student teachers from California State University, Long Beach. The purpose of this study was to investigate the knowledge base, preparedness, and perceptions of future teachers as these factors relate to collaboration with SLPs in the elementary school setting. The participants' responses suggested positive perceptions of speech-language pathologists, and motivation to collaborate, yet teachers' knowledge is limited regarding speech-language topics and collaboration. Further, student teachers report limited preparedness to collaborate and address the needs of students with speech-language disorders. Clinical implications and the need for further research are discussed.

Jooste, Nikki. "Learning through a second language : a comparative study of the performance in reading comprehension and the cognitive-linguistic processes involved in reading comprehension between first-language English learners and second-language English, first-l." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2003. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2921.

Yoho, Sarah E. "Professional issues and concerns in school-based speech-language pathology a survey /." Connect to resource, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/1811/37284.

Tchoungui, Oyono Lilly. "The norming of the "Evaluation du language Oral" and the prevalence of speech and language disorders in pre-school aged children from Yaoundé (Cameroon)." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20772.

Ukrainetz, Teresa, Kerry Proctor-Williams, James Baumann, Melissa Allen, LaVae M. Hoffman, and Laura Justice. "How Much is Enough: The Intensity Evidence in Language Intervention." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 2008. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1845.

Boggs, Teresa, and K. Campbell. "Activities for Facilitating Language in the Classroom." Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University, 1999. https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/1527.

Makanza, Wadzanai Michel. "Dysphagia in children (0-12 years) recovering from tuberculosis meningitis (TBM)." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15577.

du, Plessis Chevonne. "The applicability of implementing Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT) with young children with developmental disabilities who reside in the Western Cape and speak Afrikaans or IsiXhosa at home: parent and professional perspectives." Master's thesis, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31343.

Abrahams, Kristen. "A case study of emerging practice in speech-language therapy in a community practice context." Doctoral thesis, Faculty of Health Sciences, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31047.

Hurt, Sharon. "An evaluation of a communicative intervention programme for hearing caregivers and their deaf children in a developing context." Doctoral thesis, University of Cape Town, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2919.

Bissessur, Divya. "The communication between low-risk low birth weight premature infants and their mothers in the first year of life a description of four cases." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10083.

Navsaria, Indira. "Written language expression in linguistically diverse classrooms in the Western Cape : a case study." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2010. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11237.

Parusnath, Prianka. "Communication supporting environments of Grade R classrooms in a rural district of the Western Cape." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22924.

Gangji, Nazneen. "Phonological development in Swahili a descriptive, cross-sectional study of typically developing pre-schoolers in Tanzania." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2916.

Hewetson, Ronelle. "The lived experience of being the mother of a child with chronic feeding difficulties." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2008. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2917.

Evans, Melanie. "Towards culturally appropriate speech-language and hearing services : exploring the cultural narrative in initial consultations with Xhosa-speaking patients." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8740.

Kaplan, Gaby. "App-based intervention for children with reading difficulties : a description of five cases." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13112.

Overett, Wendy. "A profile of the speech therapy and audiology clientele at a tertiary hospital in the Western Cape." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2005. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26333.

Brewis, Shannon. "Perceptions of intercultural communication in a South African business organisation." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2002. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/2911.

Rossouw, Katherine. "Intervention for bilingual children with speech sound disorders: A description of three English/isiXhosa speaking children." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/22934.

Walters, Freda Aletta. "Effectiveness of the classroom communication resource in changing primary school learners' attitudes towards children who stutter after one month: A feasibility study." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15754.

Vermeulen, Suzanne. "The validation of a screening tool for the identification of dysphagia in the paediatric population with HIV/AIDS." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15755.

Le, Roux Lezanne. "The nature of feeding and swallowing difficulties in the paediatric cerebral palsy population who have had videofluoroscopic swallow studies." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/5938.

Mahura, Olebeng. "The acquisition of Setswana phonology in children aged 3;0 – 6;0 years : a cross-sectional study." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/13207.

Jeggo, Zenia M. "The phonological development of typically developing first language Zulu-speaking children aged 2;6 - 6;5 years : a descriptive cross-sectional study." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20468.

Nadler-Nir, Elizabeth Francis. "The effectiveness of a multi-sensory phonological awareness and letter knowledge training programme for disadvantaged first graders." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 1997. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/26332.

Department of Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences

• Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology
• Curriculum and Prerequisites

Thesis Option

The thesis is not required for all students, but is suggested for students who have maintained a QPA of 3.500 and are interested in pursuing doctoral-level study and/or clinical research activities. Students who elect the master’s thesis option will not be responsible for taking the comprehensive exam. A student interested in exploring the thesis option must meet with Graduate Program Director as well as with the faculty member whose expertise is in the area of investigation. The student will work with the faculty member to review the literature in the chosen area and develop the research proposal. A Thesis Handbook is available to help guide each student through the thesis process. 

Useful Links

• Tips for students considering a thesis  
• Emerging Scholars  
• Loyola/Notre Dame Library  

Recent Theses 

Amanda Spaeth, ‘21  Title: School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists’ Perceptions of Training and Competence for Telepractice Service Delivery Committee: Dr. Lena Caesar (Chair), Dr. Janet Preis, Dr. Brianne Roos Abstract: Delivery of speech-language pathology services in the United States public school system dramatically changed in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To comply with the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) national guidelines, schools implemented distance learning to protect students from the spread of COVID-19, and related service providers (including speech-language pathologists) were mandated to continue providing services via telepractice. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to investigate SLPs’ perceptions of their training adequacy, relevant knowledge and competence for providing telepractice service delivery. The study also investigated SLPs’ familiarity with ASHA’s roles and responsibilities for telepractice service delivery, and their perceptions of competence for providing telepractice services. This study used an online survey-based methodology to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 178 United States school-based speech-language pathologists providing services via telepractice. Results from the study indicated that although the majority of respondents perceived themselves as somewhat competent to implement telepractice service delivery, older SLPs felt less competent and less well-trained than their younger counterparts. Issues related to training, knowledge, familiarity, and perceived levels of competence are also discussed. These findings have implications for future research regarding the quality of training provided by graduate programs and employers.

Mairin Srygley, ‘21 Title: Training Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students in Anti-Racist Praxis Committee: Dr. Janet Preis (Chair), Dr. Brianne Roos, Theresa Alexander Abstract: There appears to be no literature documenting attempts to train speech-language pathology (SLP) graduate students in racial equity issues and anti-racist service delivery despite empirical support for training in the fields of social work, education, medicine, and other human services professions. This thesis presents the findings of a quasiexperimental research investigation of an anti-racism pilot training program for 38 SLP graduate students at a predominantly White institution. The paper interrogates the relevance of teaching speech- language pathologists (SLPs) about anti-racism, evaluates the application of anti-racism training best practices in a SLP graduate program context, and explores methods of assessing anti-racism training learning outcomes. All students participated in a six-session anti-racism training that explored foundational terminology of anti-racism, the history of anti-Blackness in the United States and healthcare, and applying anti-racism to clinical practice by using culturally-sustaining pedagogy as an anti-racist strategy. In addition, 14 of the 38 participants completed a seven- session peer mentorship program to extend the training experience over a longer period of time and provide a space for cooperative learning and problem-solving. The quantitative evidence presented in this paper triangulates direct and indirect assessment data on knowledge, skills, and attitudinal change and uses parametric and non-parametric statistical tests to measure at two time intervals (before and after the semester) within the whole participant group and between experimental and control groups. Preliminary findings from indirect measures (i.e., surveys) indicate all participants reported statistically significant increases of anti-racist awareness, knowledge, and skills with direct measures (i.e., treatment plans) indicating that participation in the peer mentorship program contributed to greater anti-racist clinical skills. The data presented in this paper suggests that it is possible to measure how teaching anti-racism to SLP graduate students can lead to knowledge, skills, and attitudinal change. Ultimately, this paper proposes a change in the field of SLP, urging SLPs to no longer engage in a professional culture of silence but rather to engage in critical awareness of the racial dynamics of society that affect SLP clinicians and clients every day. Devon Terwilliger, ‘21 Title: How Caregivers and SLPs View Rapport & Parent-Coaching in the Online Environment Committee: Dr. Tepanta Fossett (Chair), Kimberly Bell, Dr. Lena Caesar Abstract: As a result of the global pandemic which began in the spring of 2020, many healthcare providers began conducting their services via telehealth. This occurrence motivated a need for evaluation of the efficacy and perceived satisfaction from both the people providing the services and those receiving them. While the skills addressed through therapy are the same, the technological changes associated with the telehealth service delivery model may affect various aspects of those services. Within the field of speech-language pathology, building relationships with clients and caregivers is essential for progress. Additionally, equipping parents with the skills they need to facilitate their child’s progress is paramount. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate how speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and parents/caregivers perceive rapport and parent-coaching via telepractice compared with in person SLP services. This study utilized an online survey to collect information from 205 individuals (138 SLPs and 67 parents) who currently provide or receive speech/language services for speech sound disorders (SSDs) via telepractice, respectively. The results of this study indicate that the majority of SLP and parent respondents felt more satisfied with speech/language services via telepractice than in person services. Additionally, the results indicate that SLPs perceived differences in the amount of time and ways in which they build rapport and provide parent coaching via telepractice compared to in person, while most parent respondents did not perceive those differences. These findings have implications for future research and future applicability of virtual speech/language services. Kirsten Wollschlager, ‘21 Title: Reading Comprehension: A Mindful Approach Committee: Dr. Marie Kerins (Chair), Lisa Tolino-Hill, Dr. Lisa Schoenbrodt Abstract:  Purpose: Reading comprehension is a critical skill integral to a student’s academic success and necessary for life-long learning (Durkin, 1993; Stevens et. al, 1991), yet many individuals struggle with this. Comprehension is an integrated skill that requires students to have vocabulary and discourse knowledge, (e.g., fictious stories or expository text), coupled with the application of executive functions, such as inferencing or predicting (ASHA, n.d.). Thus, integrating all these skills suggests that comprehension is a higher-level process that cannot be easily taught as a discrete skill, a stark contrast from teachable skill of decoding (Kahmi, 2007). The purpose of the study is to determine if integrating target vocabulary terms using metacognitive strategies can improve reading comprehension by asking the following questions: (a) Does activating metacognitive strategies (prior knowledge, think alouds, self- questioning) improve recall of taught vocabulary terms? (b) Does the ability to accurately recall and apply vocabulary terms improve reading  comprehension? Method: This intervention study used a multiple, consecutive probe design (Tawney & Gast, 1984) across six subjects with a measure of maintenance. The six subjects were between the ages of 8 and 12years and had a diagnosis of a language-based learning disorder. Results: The results demonstrated that the use of metacognitive strategies had a positive impact on the ability to recall taught vocabulary terms and improve reading comprehension skills. All six participants showed evidence of consistent improvement from the employment of metacognitive strategies during reading comprehension tasks during intervention and maintenance. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study found that the use of metacognitive strategies had a positive impact on the ability to recall taught vocabulary terms and improve reading comprehension skills. These findings support that metacognitive strategies can improve reading comprehension when applying strategies to key vocabulary terms associated with reading comprehension. Applying metacognitive strategies to key terms was successful with this group of school-age language impaired children. Ideas for future research include replicating these findings with participants of different ages and diagnoses to add additional generalizability to the findings. Future research could include children with expressive language difficulties who anecdotally showed improvement in this study in their ability to define and use vocabulary terms. Rebecca Grossman, ‘20  Title: Self-Awareness and Voice Education in Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students Committee: Dr. Tepanta Fossett (Chair), Dr. Sally Gallena, Dr. Paul Evitts Abstract: Glottal fry is a vocal register which has gained attention for its increased prevalence in young female speakers, as well as its linguistic and perceptual implications. This characteristically “creaky” voice could be a sign of a vocal pathology but has also been associated as a linguistic marker at the ends of phrases to indicate phrasal boundaries. Recent research has been particularly focused on listener perceptions of glottal fry in young female speakers (Anderson et al., 2014; Yuasa, 2010). Graduate students of speech-language pathology (SLP), the majority of whom are young females, must often rely on their awareness and perception of vocal quality to drive effective treatment. Academic and clinical coursework in graduate programs for speech-language pathology aim to build competence in the graduate clinician’s awareness of voice characteristics of their patients, but there has not been literature to date, which examines whether graduate students are aware of their own use of glottal fry. The aim of this controlled, between-groups, descriptive study was to examine the SLP graduate student clinician’s self-awareness of their use of excessive glottal fry, and whether formal voice education contributed to this self-awareness.  Results showed no significant relationship between formal voice education and the use, or self-awareness of, glottal fry. However, a small increase in self-awareness was noted within the educated group. This study contributes to research which suggests that vocal education may improve general awareness of glottal fry, but further awareness education may be needed to increase SLP graduate student clinicians’ self-awareness of their own vocal characteristics. Kourtney Wathen, ‘20 Title: Effect of Chorus Intervention on Voice and Speech in Persons with Aphasia Committee: Dr. Sally Gallena (Chair), Dr. Janet Preis, Thomas Thompson Abstract: Aphasia chorus is gaining popularity in the field of speech-language pathology for its impact on patient quality of life through music and community with others. However, little is known about the effects of chorus on aspects of voice and speech in persons with aphasia (PwA). The purpose of this study was to measure change in voice quality and speech fluency in PwA who attend aphasia chorus as part of a weekly intensive aphasia program at a university graduate clinic. We used a within-subjects pre/post design consisting of acoustic and perceptual voice screening, articulatory agility analysis, and sung word intelligibility analysis. Eligible participants were consented using an aphasia-friendly form designed using yes/no questions. After the baseline voice and speech screening, participants attended eight, 1-hour, weekly chorus sessions as part of the intensive aphasia program posted by the clinic. Chorus sessions were comprised of a structured voice and speech warm-up using evidence-based principles followed by choral singing, wherein one song was sung consistently each week, with two other songs that varied each week. The results showed a significant increase in cepstral peak prominence (CPP) and sung word intelligibility in the refrain of the consistently sung song, and near significant effect on maximum phonation duration (MPD). The findings of this study suggest that a weekly chorus intervention consisting of voice, speech, and singing exercises may improve voice quality and sung word intelligibility for PwA.

Tips for Students Considering a Thesis

These tips have been compiled from students who have completed a thesis. The major theme throughout is that a thesis is challenging, but very rewarding!

• Choose something you are very interested in so you are excited to find an answer to your question. This is a long term project; you need to pursue something you care about. It gets painful and tedious- but ultimately it’s fun and exciting.
• Don’t be afraid of the thesis option, even if you decide late. I started my thesis relatively late in the game (May of the first year) and it is possible to do in a year. It will be easier if you set yourself a schedule and keep to it.
• Brush up on statstics
• Start working as soon as you can—don't wait until the second year to get your project ideas and proposal started
• Reach out to your thesis committee before your defense—use them as resources! They have lots of insights to share and you don't want to wait till the last minute to consider their input
• When you’re reading for your lit review, take written notes with citations instead of highlighting important passages. It will make it so much easier when you remember an important fact but don’t remember which article it came from.
• Remember that your thesis committee is there to support you. Don't be intimidated. Respect the feedback they have to give and grow from it. It’s not personal, they just want to help you prepare the best defense and final product possible.
• Use RefWorks (available through the Loyola/Notre Dame Library) and use it hard. Also, download the Write-N-Cite extension. It’s not 100% correct every time but it is right most of the time and it will save you so that much anguish.
• If you feel like you aren’t finding what you need in the existing literature just get creative. I found a lot of my literature following avenues not necessarily related to speech and language pathology. Also, if you or your friends have a certain set of skills, exploit it. I recruited my sister, an electrical engineer, to create the computer program that created the novel stimuli for my study. She is listed as a co-author.
• Once in the final stages of writing, think about where you might want to submit your manuscript for publishing. Don't wait!

Audrey’s involvement on campus and Loyola’s emphasis on cura personalis make her proud to be a Hound

Future Speech-Language Pathologists Demonstrate Research at CSD Showcase

The three graduate students presenting their theses at the Communication, Sciences and Disorders Showcase on Wednesday, April 24, exhibit the range within the speech pathology field.

The trio’s theses address topics on experiences of neurodivergent Asian Americans, accent training services for multilingual individuals in the U.S., and evaluating hyoid movement in swallow studies.

CSD Graduate Program Director and Associate Professor Robin Danzak is the thesis coordinator for CSD, and spoke about her enjoyment of working with students on developing their theses.

“I get so energized talking about research with students, and love all aspects of the research process: brainstorming ideas, designing impactful qualitative studies, working with communities, analyzing data, and sharing people’s stories. For the students and participants, it can be an extremely rich and rewarding experience,” said Danzak.

Emerson Today asked the three students about their theses, career goals, and more:

Emily Chen, MA ’24

What was the inspiration that led to your thesis: Lived Experiences of Neurodivergent Asian American Emerging Adults: A Photovoice Exploration?

Chen: My own experience as a neurodivergent Asian American (ND AA) led to my thesis topic. I was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 23 after years of struggling, and there was and still is very little information and research about, and community for, ND AA, which made my journey difficult and lonely. I’ve come a long way since, and I became curious about other ND AA’s experiences: Were they similar to mine? Completely different? How do ND and AA intersect and interact with one another? My thesis explores what life is like for neurodivergent Asian Americans, so that other ND AA can understand themselves and receive the support they need more quickly and easily than I did.

How would your thesis work and research be applied in real life applications?

Chen: In speech therapy and other clinical settings, this research can help clinicians better understand and support ND AA clients of all ages (kids will one day grow into adults!) and, thus, provide more neurodiversity-affirming and culturally responsive care. My thesis work, however, is not specific to clinical work by any means. This research also applies to ND AA peers, colleagues, family members, community members, and can help ND AA individuals feel seen and less alone, as well as help others support us and our unique needs. What kind of professional work would you like to do after graduating from Emerson?

Chen: I will be a speech-language pathologist, and I would like to support neurodivergent clients and their families (especially Asian American ones). I hope to empower ND clients to accept and live as their full, authentic selves and help families and communities support ND individuals in affirming ways. Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself, your thesis, your Emerson experience, etc?

Chen: You can check out more of my work at my website emilychenstudio.com . DisOrient is my educational YouTube series for the AAPI community about mental health and neurodiversity. I also have other articles, interviews, and songs where I share my own experiences as a neurodivergent Asian American! I am so grateful for Emerson CSD’s warm and accepting community that has allowed me to be my full self, feel so supported in my clinical work and research, and thrive.

Lior Grader, MA ’24

What was the inspiration that led to your thesis: Motivation to Participate in Accent Training Services among Bilingual and Multilingual Individuals in the US? 

Grader: As a bilingual individual (my first language is Hebrew, and my second language is English), I was interested in learning more about accent training services due to my personal experience as an individual with an accent.

I wanted to learn more about what motivates people to participate in accent training services. Accent training services are elective services that are performed (also) by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and aim to improve verbal and non-verbal communication among people who speak English with an accent.

After reviewing the literature about accent training, I learned about a debate in the SLP field regarding whether SLPs should offer those services. Some claim those services perpetuate bias against culturally diverse individuals, whereas others argue that they serve as a beneficial tool for career advancement and social integration. After learning about the debate, I was wondering what the clients think. Are those services meaningful and important?

Grader: The research aims to bring the perspective of the clients, individuals with an accent, to the debate. So far, the debate has been among SLPs, but when we discuss eliminating services, we should also consider the client’s point of view. 

What kind of professional work would you like to do after graduating from Emerson? 

Grader: I plan to work as a speech-language pathologist

Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself, your thesis, your Emerson experience, etc? 

Grader: I want to thank my participants who agreed to take part in this research, my committee members, [CSD Senior Scholar-In-Residence] Maryam Salehomoum, Robin Danzak, and [CSD Affiliated Faculty] Wendy Kohn, for all the help and support during this amazing learning process, and [CSD Research Assistant] Briana Primavera ’26 for assisting with the data analysis process. 

Elona Meziu Ribari, MA ’24

What was the inspiration that led to your thesis: Reliability in Speech-Language Pathology: Evaluating SLP’ Interpretations of Hyoid Movement in Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies? 

Ribari: My thesis was directly inspired by my work at EATS Lab, which I began under the guidance of [CSD Assistant Professor] Lindsay Griffin since September 2022. Working closely with Lindsay has been a life-changing journey for me. This experience exposed me to the complexities and challenges of assessing hyoid movement, which plays a critical role for swallowing safety, sparking my interest in working toward improving how these evaluations are conducted in clinical settings.

Ribari: My research is aimed at enhancing the precision of SLPs’ interpretations of hyoid movement during Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS). By improving the reliability of these assessments, my work could lead to more accurate diagnostic practices and treatment plans for patients with dysphagia. This could significantly improve patient care and outcomes by preventing severe complications such as aspiration, pneumonia, and other related conditions. 

What kind of professional work would you like to do after graduating from Emerson?

Ribari: After graduation, I envision myself working as a medical speech-language pathologist (SLP) in an acute care setting. My current internship at Boston Medical Center has reinforced my passion for this role, where I find great fulfillment in assisting patients with their rehabilitation, especially those struggling with swallowing difficulties and other communicative disorders.

Is there anything else you’d like to share about yourself, your thesis, your Emerson experience, etc?

Ribari: Coming from Kosovo, a small country where speech-language pathology is still relatively new, I’ve found my experience at Emerson College to be profoundly transformative. The practices and skills I have gained here go beyond anything available back home, and I feel deeply honored to represent my country in such a prestigious institution. At Emerson, I’ve learned that the support of professors, supervisors, and staff is unconditional. They encourage us to aim higher and dream bigger, always ready to guide and assist us along our academic and professional journeys. Being part of this community has not only enhanced my skills but also reinforced my commitment to advancing this field in Kosovo and beyond.

The CSD Showcase will be held April 24, 4-6 pm, in The Judee.

News & Stories

Communication Sciences and Disorders , Faculty , Featured , Graduate and Professional Studies , School of Communication

David Ertischek View All

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Develop your research question

• Search for your assignment
• Find books and journal articles
• Government and organisation information
• Forgotten Australians
• Data and statistics
• Finding resources for your assignment
• Evidence-Based Practice

STEP 1: Understand your research objective

Before you start developing your research question, think about your research objectives:

• What are you trying to do? (compare, analyse)
• What do you need to know about the topic?
• What type of research are you doing?
• What types of information/studies do you need? (e.g. randomised controlled trial, case study, guideline, protocol?)
• Does the information need to be current?

Watch the following video (6:26) to get you started:

Key points from the video

• All good academic research starts with a research question.
• A research question is an actual question you want to answer about a particular topic.
• Developing a question helps you focus on an aspect of your topic, which will streamline your research and writing.
• Pick a topic you are interested in.
• Narrow the topic to a particular aspect.
• Brainstorm some questions around your topic aspect.
• Select a question to work with.
• Focus the question by making it more specific. Make sure your question clearly states who, what, when, where, and why.
• A good research question focuses on one issue only and requires analysis.
• Your search for information should be directed by your research question.
• Your thesis or hypothesis should be a direct answer to your research question, summarised into one sentence.

STEP 2: Search before you research

The benefits of doing a background search :

• You can gather more background knowledge on a subject
• explore different aspects of your topic
• identify additional keywords and terminology

STEP 3: Choose a topic

The resources linked below are a good place to start: 

• UpToDate It covers thousands of clinical topics grouped into specialties with links to articles, drugs and drug interaction databases, medical calculators and guidelines.
• An@tomedia This online anatomy resource features images, videos, and slides together with interactive, educational text and quiz questions.
• Anatomy.tv Find 3D anatomical images; functional anatomy animations and videos, and MRI, anatomy, and clinical slides. Test your knowledge through interactive activities and quizzes.

STEP 4: Brainstorm your questions

Now you have explored different aspects of your topic, you may construct more focused questions (you can create a few questions and pick one later).

Learn more: 

• Clear and present questions: formulating questions for evidence based practice (Booth 2006) This article provides an overview of thinking in relation to the theory and practice of formulating answerable research questions.

STEP 5: Pick a question and focus

Once you have a few questions to choose from, pick one and refine it even further.

Are you required to use "PICO"?

• PICO worksheet
• Other frameworks

The PICO framework (or other variations) can be useful for developing an answerable clinical question. 

The example question used in this guide is a PICO question:   How does speech therapy compare to cognitive behavioural therapy in improving speech fluency in adolescents?

Use the interactive PICO worksheet to get started with your question, or you can download the worksheet document.

• Building your question with PICO

Here are some different frameworks you may want to use:

There are a number of PICO variations which can be used for different types of questions, such as qualitative, and background and foreground questions. Visit the Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) Guide to learn more:

• Evidence Based Practice guide
• << Previous: Plan your search
• Next: Search for your assignment >>
• Last Updated: Mar 7, 2024 4:22 PM
• URL: https://guides.library.unisa.edu.au/SpeechPathology

The text within this Guide is licensed CC BY 4.0 . Image licenses can be found within the image attributions document on the last page of the Guide. Ask the Library for information about reuse rights for other content within this Guide.

Home > HHS > Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences > Honors Theses

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences Honors Theses

Honors theses completed at Western Michigan University are entered into ScholarWorks. Some may be embargoed or restricted by the authors or we have been unable to reach the authors, so the theses may be only available from on-campus computers. If you are an author of an honors thesis and would like to make it available off campus or if you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

Theses from 2018 2018

The Effectiveness of Memory Aids in People Who Have Had a Traumatic Brain Injury , Bridget Bucaro

Speech Naturalness Before and Following Treatment in Adults Who Stutter , Alexis Novelli

Mastication's Effect on Middle Ear Muscle Contractions , Madeline Smith

Theses from 2017 2017

The Impact of Higher Education on Linguistic Culture in Senegal and the Midwest United States , Kelsey Gough

Improving Access to Communication for Adults with Aphasia using "Aphasia-Friendly" Accommodations , Chandler Hodgkin

Theses from 2016 2016

Verification and Quantification of Surface Electromyographic (EMG) Activity of the Masseter Muscle , Kelsey Bowles

Memory Support for Adults with Alzheimer’s Disease: Applications for Speech-language Pathologists , Laura Dober

Acoustic Correlates of Speech Naturalness in Post-Treatment Adults who Stutter: Role of Speaking Rate , Caylee Jessen

Exploring the Impact of Globalization on Linguistic Culture , Autumn Kearney

The effects of globalization on English language learning: Perspectives from Senegal and the United States , Anna Poggensee

Acoustic Correlates of Speech Naturalness in Post-Treatment Adults Who Stutter: Role of Fundamental Frequency , Jacqueline Schmitt

Theses from 2015 2015

Incidental Phonological Awareness Instruction in Early Childhood Education: The Development of an Observational Tool , Emma Cooper

Unsteady Nasalance Traces Among Sustained Vowels in Typical Adult Speakers: Prevalence & Potential Causes , Catherine Hearit

Bridging Theories of Phonological Awareness for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children: Perspectives from Verbotonal Specialists in the United States , Jazmin Rambeau

Theses from 2014 2014

Language Trends of Spanish/English Dual Language Learners , Cailin Amundsen

Comparative Study of the Effects of Globalization on Literacy Policy in the U.S. Midwest and Senegal , Emily Diekema

Teratogenic Effects of alcohol on Xenopus Auditory Hindbrain , Stephanie Palazzolo

Art and Aphasia: A Literary Review and Exhibition , Jessica Parrish

Undergraduate Students’ Knowledge about Applying to and Attending Graduate School in Speech-Language Pathology: The Effect of a Panel Presentation on the Topics , Chelsea Swadling

Theses from 2013 2013

Relations between oral pharyngeal size and kinematic measures of tongue related swallowing movements , Danielle Monast

A Comparison of Caregiver and Speech-Language Pathologist's Ratings of Speech Outcome in Oral Cleft Clinic , Emily Swain

Theses from 2012 2012

Spontaneous Recovery in Children With Expressive Language Delay , Jaimie Sierakowski

Intelligibility and the Sinewave Speech Carrier Phrase Effect , Danielle R. Werle

Theses from 2010 2010

Variables Affecting the Cognitive and Linguistic Outcomes in School-Aged Survivors of Traumatic Brain Injury , Brianna A. Chapman

Theses from 2009 2009

The Effect of Early Cochlear Implantation on Oral Language: A Review of the Literature , Nicole Supplee

English Language and Literacy Enrichment Comparing Comprehension and Alphabetic-Phonological Approaches , Paula Vergunst

Theses from 2007 2007

Perceptions of Speech-Language Pathologists , Abby M. Spicko

Demographic Affects on the Field of Speech-Language Pathology , Gretchen Storm

Theses from 2006 2006

The Relationship of Speech-Sound Disorders, Phonological Awareness, and Literacy Skills , Andrea L. Quast

Theses from 2004 2004

Errorless Learning as a Treatment Method for Adults with Memory Problems , Nicole Schrauben

Theses from 2003 2003

Does Gender Affect Speech Fluency? , Rebecca DeVries-Williams

Theses from 2002 2002

Speech and Language Disorders Among Spanish and Bilingual Spanish-English Children , Amber Campbell

Formant Theory and Spectral Shape Theory: The Evolving Study of Speech Perception , Courtney Dykman

Theses from 2001 2001

Tongue Piercing and Articulation , Melanie Bremer

Theses from 2000 2000

Peer Intervention for Children with Severe Speech and Physical Impairments within a Literacy Context , Sheila A. Carrier

Kalamazoo Area Resource Guide: Services, Support, and Information for Disorders of Speech, Language and Hearing , Sarah J. DeWeese and Anne Marie VanSlambrouck

Theses from 1999 1999

The Influence of Language Variables on Stuttering , Jennifer E. D'Uva

The Role of Spectral Shape and Spectral Peaks in Speech Recognition , Jennifer C. Hall

Theses from 1998 1998

Should Western Michigan University Accept American Sign Language as a Foreign Language , Melissa A. Wadell

Theses from 1997 1997

Use of Cochlear Implants to Understand Oral Directions: Responding and Clarifying , Carrie McCarter

Theses from 1995 1995

Gender Identification of Preadolescent Children's Voices , Kathleen M. Warner

Theses from 1994 1994

Written vs. Oral Communication in Adolescents with Autism , Kim S. Schairer

Inter-Judge and Intra-Judge Agreement using the SSI: A Further Investigation , Michelle Thompson

Theses from 1993 1993

The Relationship Between Knowledge and Attitudes About Stuttering in Populations of Elementary Education and Speech Pathology Students , Kelly D. Beens

Theses from 1989 1989

The Impact of Hearing Loss on Intimate Relationships , Jackie A. Mummert

Theses from 1988 1988

Appreciation of Cartoon Humor by Brain Injured Adults: A Pilot Study , Amy S. Cashen

Theses from 1983 1983

Iatrogenic Causes of Voice and Hearing Impairments in Neonates , Karen S. Zalewski

Theses from 1981 1981

The Need and Feasibility of Early Language Emphasis for the Congenitally Deaf , Kathryn J. Hart

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