Learning from Case Studies of Communication

Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California

Updated: January 10, 2002

Selected Mini-Case Study Examples

Evaluations of Programs and Policies

Title IX: issues of equity in mens' and women's sports

Date Rape Prevention at USC

Communication and Binge Drinking at USC

The Impact of Deferred Rush at USC

The Role of Religion in a Homeless Shelter Program

The Instant Marriage: Marketing Speedy Marriages

Evaluations of New Media Use

Role of the Internet in Campaign for the Hayden Bill

Online education: impact on courses and students

Online bookstores: buying book online or at USC

MP3: how college students use online music

Raves: the roll of music in violence at rave events

Interpersonal and Group Communication

CARP: the dynamics of a cult

Gender Stereotyping: Do engineering faculty stereotype members of sororities in ways that discourage their pursuit of engineering careers?

Territorialism at Two Surfing Beaches

Race, Ethnicity and Communication in an Inner City High School

Managing Interpersonal Communication in an Adoption Service: Balancing Privacy, Safety and Risk

Press Coverage

Confederate Flag Controversy: how the media portrayed the controversy over flying the confederate battle flag from South Carolina's Statehouse dome

Elian Gonzalez: studies of press coverage and others of how information was managed by government agencies

Sharks in the News: How the behavior of sharks is systematically distorted by news coverage of attacks.

Media Framing of an Arrest: A controversial arrest tied to the medical use of marijuana

Superbowl: the experience of athletes' families in the glare of superbowl coverage

Mass Media and Advertising

Marketing Plastic Surgery: How doctors sell cosmetic surgery

Oxygen: how a new women's channel is marketed on TV

Media coverage of a California Primary Election

Managing media coverage: suppressing coverage of interpersonal conflicts on a professional football team

Framing the Romance Novel: A look at the design of the cover of a romance novel.

BMW Ads: How they work.

Media Industries

USC's Radio Station

Disney-ABC Merger and Acquisition

AOL-Time Warner Acquisition

Sega Enterprises

New Technologies and Services

Los Angeles Times Online

Cell Phone: use by teenagers

Palm Pilot: how do leading-edge users employ them and with what effect

Online Library Catalog Use: How USC students use online library catalogs.