Fifteen new research papers from 2003 ACE Conference.
We are pleased to help announce the peer-reviewed research papers presented during an Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) conference in Kansas City, Missouri, during June. Use the e-mail addresses to get in touch with authors of papers that may hold special interest for you.
Theme: “Technologies and teaching issues”
- “Signaling quality in an E-commerce environment: the case of an emerging e-grocery sector.” Stan Ernst (Ernst.1@osu.edu), Neal H. Hooker, Julia Heilig, Ohio State University.
- “GNC University: a case study in partnering business and education through distance learning.” Lisa K. Lundy (lkj@ufl.edu), Tracy A. Irani, R. Elaine Turner, Susan S. Percival, Britton McPherson, University of Florida.
- “Developing agricultural communications’ products for stakeholders: examining the relationship between stakeholders’ backgrounds in the sciences/languages and their ability to decode scientific terminology.” Susan Grantham (grantham@ufl.edu), Tracy A. Irani, University of Florida.
- “Relationship between Extension worldviews, perceptions of Extension roles, and the use of Extension in the Florida beef cattle industry.” Emily E. Eubanks, Tracy A. Irani (irani@ufl.edu), University of Florida.
- “Critical thinking dispositions of agricultural communication students.” Emily Bisdorf-Rhoades, Lisa K. Lundy (lkj@ufl.edu), Tracy A. Irani, Ricky Telg, University of Florida.
Theme: “Communication sources, channels and current issues”
- “Is your food safe or scary? How U.S. news magazines communicated food safety issues, 1990-2000.” Sherrie R. Whaley (whaley.3@osu.edu), Ohio State University; David L. Doerfert, Texas Tech University.
- “Preferred communication sources and food-related risks: a statewide analysis.” Sherrie R. Whaley (whaley.3@osu.edu), Mark Tucker, Jeff Sharp, Lynn Knipe, Ohio State University.
- “Reaching Florida urban opinion leaders: a quantitative study to uncover preferred communication channels.” Amanda Ruth, Lisa K. Lundy (lkj@ufl.edu), University of Florida.
- “Future agricultural communicators’ awareness of and attitudes toward biotechnology issues reported in mass media.” Gary J. Wingenbach (g-wingenbach@tamu.edu), Tracy A. Rutherford, Deborah W. Dunsford, Texas A&M University.
- “Selected college students’ knowledge and perceptions of biotechnology issues reported in mass media.” Gary J. Wingenbach (g-wingenbach@tamu.edu), Tracy A. Rutherford, Deborah W. Dunsford, Texas A&M University.
Theme: “Biotechnology: advertising, media coverage and public opinion”
- “Consumer perceptions of trust, risk and credibility of agricultural biotechnology advertising.” Tracy Irani (irani@ufl.edu), Janas Sinclair, University of Florida.
- “GMOs generate few fears here: an in-depth look at understanding, attitudes and behaviors about food irradiation and genetically modified organisms by Iowans.” Eric A. Abbott (eabbott@iastate.edu), Iowa State University.
- “Framing biotechnology: a comparison of U.S. and British newspapers.” Lisa K. Lundy (lkj@ufl.edu), Tracy Irani, University of Florida.
- “Oregon’s vote to label genetically engineered food: a case study of the media messages designed to influence voters.” David L. Doerfert (david.doerfert@ttu.edu), Cindy Akers, Jacqui Haygood, Mark Kistler, Texas Tech University.
- “Opinion leaders’ attitudes toward genetic engineering: the Philippine case.” Lulu Rodriguez (lulurod@iastate.edu), Iowa State University.
“Americans starved for dietary information.”
That is the title from a 2002 Gallup Poll summary that we added recently to the ACDC collection. Nearly one in four Americans (24%) is very confused or somewhat confused about how to eat a healthy diet, up from 17% three years ago.
“A large percentage of Americans are trying to keep up-to-date on how to eat well – 55% say they pay at least a fair amount of attention to food warnings and nutritional recommendations.”
Reference: Use a title search (above) or author search (Brooks) for the full citation.
Are agricultural futures markets generating accurate price information?
Agricultural economist Scott Irwin shed light on this question in a presentation at the 2003 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum. His research examined the extent to which increased concentration of trading by large, “managed” funds artificially increases price volatility in agricultural futures markets. Results revealed “strong evidence of a small, but positive, relationship” between futures price volatility and trading volume of large, “managed” funds.
Reference: Use a title search (Are futures markets) or author search (Irwin) for the full citation.
Professional activities approaching
September 28, 2003
“Media relations made easy.” Superworkshop of Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE) at New Orleans, Louisiana.
Information: www.lsuagcenter.com/ace
October 1, 2002
Deadline for research papers and professional papers to be considered for presentation to the Agricultural Communications Section of the Southern Association for Agricultural Scientists.
SAAS meets in Tulsa, Oklahoma,
February 14-18, 2004.
Submissions are open to all members of Agricultural Communicators in Education (ACE).
Information: rtelg@mail.ifas.ufl.edu.
Of interest to gardeners and job seekers.
We close this issue of ACDC News with two classified ads that may interest you if you garden and/or seek a change of occupation.
“For sale: Garden tools that make work easier and last longer.”
“Wanted: A competent person to undertake the sale of a new medicine that will prove highly lucrative to the undertaker.”
Best regards and good searching.
Please pass along your reactions, questions and ideas for ACDC. Feel free to invite our help as you search for information. And please suggest (or send) agricultural communications documents that we might add to this unique collection. We welcome them in hard copy (sent to Ag Com Documentation Center, 69 Mumford Hall, 1301 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801) or electronic form (at docctr@library.uiuc.edu).