MIAMI UNIVERSITY The Graduate School Certificate for Approving the Dissertation We hereby approve the Dissertation of John Joseph Silvestro Candidate for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ______________________________________ Dr. Michele Simmons, Co-Director ______________________________________ Dr. Jason Palmeri, Co-Director ______________________________________ Dr. James E. Porter, Reader ______________________________________ Dr. Tim Lockridge, Reader ______________________________________ Dr. Glenn Platt, Graduate School Representative ABSTRACT CHANGING THE CONVERSATION: A CASE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL, PUBLIC WRITERS COMPOSING AMIDST CIRCULATION by John J Silvestro This project examines how writers compose research texts, such as reports, infographics, digital content—so that they might circulate. Specifically, I study a group of writers at The Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (TWF) and their writing processes for their research texts, texts they write both to inform audiences and to motivate those same audiences to share and discuss the texts with others. TWF researches and distributes information on the unique socio-economic challenges women in Cincinnati face. They strive to change the local conversation about socio-economic issues so that everyone from citizens to businesses leaders to local politicians understand the distinct challenges that women face. They want to inform Cincinnatians about these issues and equip them to engage in discussions with others about these issues. Studying TWF’s efforts to get their research texts discussed so as to change local conversations affords the opportunity to study how professional writers compose texts both to inform and to circulate. More specifically, it enables an examination of the ways writers compose amidst circulation, both its possibilities to expand conversations and its limitations. Additionally, it enables me to articulate specific strategies that other professional writers can draw upon in their efforts to compose texts for similar public engagements and circulation. To study TWF, I use a Circulation Studies methodology and corresponding methods to perform a multi-part case study of their strategies for a few representative research texts. I first outline the local conversation that TWF works to change, establishing the narrow constraints that influence what texts and information circulate. From there, I study TWF’s understanding of that local conversation, particularly its narrow perspective on local social and economic issues. I next present how TWF incorporate that understanding into their research texts—infographics, reports, presentations, digital content, keynote speakers, hashtag campaigns—to better enable their texts to circulate in local publics. Lastly, I examine how TWF combines strategies to motivate audiences to share their research into publics that otherwise block their research. In sum, my case study suggests several strategies for composing research for circulation. The strategies suggest that writers need to carefully study the ongoing circulation in their target publics and then compose and distribute their texts to work within and against that circulation. Furthermore, my research reveals that professional writers should integrate strategies into a protracted campaign that engages publics and their circulation constraints and possibilities. CHANGING THE CONVERSATION: A CASE STUDY OF PROFESSIONAL, PUBLIC WRITERS COMPOSING AMIDST CIRCULATION A DISSERTATION Presented to the Faculty of Miami University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of English by John J Silvestro The Graduate School Miami University Oxford, Ohio 2017 Dissertation Director: Dr. Michele Simmons And Dr. Jason Palmeri © 2017 John J Silvestro TABLE OF CONTENTS PROLOGUE “WE IMAGINE A WORLD WHERE ALL WOMEN CAN PARTICIPATE, PROSPER, AND REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL:” THE WOMEN’S FUND CHANGING THE CONVERSATION ON WOMEN’S SOCIO- ECONOMIC ISSUES THROUGH THE CIRCULATION OF RESEARCH ............................................................... 1 CHAPTER ONE “I DIDN’T EVEN REALIZE THAT DISCONNECT HAD HAPPENED (OVER PERCEPTIONS OF A CIRCULATION STRATEGY) :” METHODS FOR LOCATING WRITERS AND THEIR STRATEGIES FOR PUBLIC IMPACT AMIDST CIRCULATION ............................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER TWO CONNECTING THE WOMEN’S FUND TO CIRCULATION STUDIES: DEVELOPING A FRAMEWORK FOR LOCATING PROFESSIONAL WRITERS AMIDST CIRCULATION .................................................................... 27 CHAPTER THREE “IN CINCINNATI, IF THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY ISN’T PART OF THE SOLUTION, YOU AREN’T GOING TO GET VERY FAR” TWF’S “PRACTITIONER’S KNOWLEDGE” OF TOP-DOWN CIRCULATION IN CINCINNATI ......................................................................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER FOUR “OH MY GOSH! ALL THESE JOBS AT THE BOTTOM (OF THE INFOGRAPHIC) THAT’S WHERE THE WOMEN ARE:” COMPOSING RESEARCH TO ENCOURAGE CIRCULATION ................................................ 82 CHAPTER FIVE THE WOMEN’S FUND’S “A CONVERSATION WITH COKIE ROBERTS:” PUBLIC EVENTS AS MULTI- STAGE STRATEGIES FOR BOTTOM-UP CIRCULATION ................................................................................. 112 CONCLUSION “WE WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS OUR ‘CHAT PACK:’ WHAT SPURS CONVERSATION.’ SOMETHING THAT WOULD BRING (OUR RESEARCH) INTO DAY-TO-DAY CONVERSATIONS:” EXPANDING BEYOND INDIVIDUAL CIRCULATION STRATEGIES ............................................................. 160 APPENDIX A POST-EVENT SURVEYS SENT TO EVENT ATTENDEES ................................................................................ 172 APPENDIX B “SOCIAL GIVING” A CONCEPT FOR MOTIVATING AUDIENCE RECOMPOSITION DURING TWF EVENTS .................................................................................................................................................................... 174 WORKS CITED ................................................................................................................................................... 177 iii LIST OF TABLES Table 1: #ConvoWithCokie Tweets the Week of the Event ..................................................141 Table 2: Breakdown of #ConvoWithCokie Tweets Per Codes .............................................143 Table 3: Number of Quoting-Informing Tweets Per Public Issue .........................................140 Table 4: Number of Proclaiming Tweets Per Theme ............................................................151 iv LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE 1: "2020 JOBS OUTLOOK" EXPLANATION OF JOB GROWTH IN CINCINNATI ....................................................... 62 FIGURE 2: "2020 JOBS OUTLOOK" INFOGRAPHIC ON JOB GROWTH ............................................................................... 62 FIGURE 3: TWF INFOGRAPHIC ON THE 10 LIFE FACTORS IMPACTING WOMEN ............................................................ 76 FIGURE 4: "ANNUAL JOB OPENINGS" INFOGRAPHIC FROM "2020 JOBS AND GENDER OUTLOOK" ................................ 91 FIGURE 5: "2020 JOBS AND GENDER OUTLOOK" INTRODUCTORY PAGE ...................................................................... 93 FIGURE 6: THE GOOGLE DOC FOR STORING SMARTRICLES ........................................................................................ 105 FIGURE 7: FEB 11, 2015 #SMARTRICLE POST ............................................................................................................. 106 FIGURE 8: MARCH 27, 2015 #FACTSONFRIDAY INFOGRAPHIC ................................................................................... 107 FIGURE 9: THE TEMPLATE FOR TWF'S "A CONVERSATION WITH..." EVENT PROGRAMS ............................................ 118 FIGURE 10: ONE OF THE MONITORS DISPLAYING THE TWITTER FALL AT "A CONVERSATION WITH LISA LING" ....... 119 FIGURE 11: THE AD, AND WEBSITE BANNER IMAGE FOR "A CONVERSATION WITH COKIE ROBERTS." ..................... 121 FIGURE 12: CENTRAL PAGE OF THE EVENT PROGRAM FOR "A CONVERSATION WITH COKIE ROBERTS." .................... 123 FIGURE 13: TWF'S TABLE-TOP INFOGRAPHICS FOR THEIR PIZZA FUNDRAISER. ......................................................... 125 FIGURE 14: TWF'S TABLE-TOP INFOGRAPHICS SPREAD AROUND THE DINING ROOM. .............................................. 126 FIGURE 15: "A CONVERSATION WITH COKIE ROBERTS" RECEPTION AREA ................................................................ 127 FIGURE 16: INFOGRAPHIC POSTER-BOARD IN "A CONVERSATION WITH COKIE ROBERTS" RECEPTION AREA ........... 127 FIGURE 17: SCREEN DISPLAYING “A CONVERSATION WITH COKIE ROBERTS” HASHTAG .......................................... 140 v DEDICATION I dedicate this project to Sarah (Sally) Stegman Neidhard, my wonderful wife. She is the reason for this project. I would have never learned of The Women’s Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation without her involvement with the organization, nor would I have found ways to connect my own concerns for circulation to The Women’s Fund’s work without her guidance. Equally as significant, Sally has supported me throughout this project. She has provided emotional, financial, and editorial support that enabled me to pursue this research. She has also served as a sounding board for my ideas, helping me ground my findings and arguments in terms applicable to non-academic writers. Thank you, babe. vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS