Professor of Communication

801-626-6164 (office)

sjosephson@weber.edu
www.factone.com/sheree
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EDUCATION

• 1992 Ph.D., University of Utah, Communication
• 1985 M.A., Utah State University, Communication
• 1980 B.A., Utah State University, Communication

COURSES TAUGHT

Weber State University

• 1993-present Media Writing (Comm. 1130)
• 1993-present Graphics (Comm. 2350)
• 1993-present Editing (Comm. 3220), also developed for online
• 1993-present News Reporting and Writing (Comm. 3130)
• 1993-present Investigative and In-depth Journalism (Comm. 4130)
• 2000-present Communication Research Methods (Comm. 3150)
• 1997-present Public Relations Writing (Comm. 3440)
• 1994-present Communication Law (Comm. 3650)
• 1993-present Advertising (Comm. 3850)
• 1993-present Cooperative Work Study with The Signpost (Comm. 2890)
• 1993-present Advanced Cooperative Work Study with The Signpost (Comm. 3890)
• 1998-present Teaching Journalism in the Secondary School (Comm. 4860)
• 1999-present Senior Seminar (Comm. 4990)
• 2002-present Cooperative Work Experience: Internship (Comm. 4890)
• 2002-present Special Study and Independent Projects (Comm. 4800)
• 1999 Writings of George Plimpton (Honors 2900/4900)
• 1999-present Literary Journalism (Honors 2900/4900)
• 2007 Blogging, Podcasts and Wikis (Honors)

University of Utah

• 1985-1986 Advanced Copy Editing
• 1985-1986 News Reporting

Westminster College

• 1993 Survey Research Methods (master’s degree class)
• 1993 Visual Communication (master’s degree class)

PUBLICATIONS

Josephson, S. (January-June 2008). “Keeping your eyes on the screen: An eye-tracking study comparing sans serif and serif typefaces,” Visual Communication Quarterly, Vol. 5, Number 1-2, 67-79.

Josephson, S. and Holmes, M. E. (2008). “Eye Monitoring Studies on TV News and the Web Converge: A Tale of Two Screens” in Passive Eye Monitoring: Algorithms, Applications and Experiments, R.I. Hammoud editor, Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg, 387-420.

Josephson, S. and Holmes, M. E. (March 2008). “Cross-race recognition deficit and visual attention: Do they all look (at faces) alike?” Proceedings of the Symposium on ETRA 2008: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, Savannah, Ga., ACM, 157-164..

Josephson, S. and Holmes, M. E. (March 2006). “Clutter or content? How on-screen enhancements affect how TV viewers scan and what they learn.” Proceedings of the Symposium on ETRA 2006: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, San Diego, Calif., ACM, 155-162.

Josephson, S. and Holmes, M. E. (March 2004). “Age differences in visual search for information on Web pages: A comparison of the Internet generation and adults,” Proceedings of the Symposium on ETRA 2004: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, San Antonio, Texas.

Josephson, S. (Summer 2004). “Using eye tracking to study visual imagery on the Web” in Visual Communication Theory and Methods. Ken Smith, Gretchen Barbatsis, Sandra Moriarty and Keith Kenney, editors. Lawrence Erlbaum, Mahway, N.J.

Josephson, S. and Holmes, M. E. (November 2002). “Attention to repeated images on the World-Wide Web: Another look at scanpath theory,” Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, Vol. 34, Issue 4, 539-548.

Josephson, S. and Holmes, M. E. (March 2002). “Visual attention to repeated Internet images: Testing the scanpath theory on the World Wide Web,” Proceedings of the Symposium on ETRA 2002: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, New Orleans, La., ACM, 43-49.

Josephson, S. “Questioning the power of color,” (1996). Visual Communication Journal, Winter, 4-7, 12.

RECENT PRESENTATIONS

“Cross-race recognition deficit and visual attention: Do they all look (at faces) alike?” ETRA 2008: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, Savannah, Ga., March 2008.

“An eye-movement study of the cross-race effect in eyewitness identification” at Viscomm 21, Estes Park, June 13-17, 2007.

“Clutter or content? How on-screen enhancements affect how TV viewers scan and what they learn.” ETRA 2006: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, San Diego, Calif., March 2006.

"Age differences in visual search for information on Web pages," at Viscomm 19, Banff, Canada. June 22-25, 2005

“Age differences in visual search for information on Web pages: A comparison of the Internet generation and adults,” ETRA 2004: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, San Antonio, Texas, March 2004.

“Eye Movement and Visual Information Processing,” at National Communication’s national conference in New Orleans, La., November 2004.

“Age differences in visual search for information on Web pages” at Viscomm 2003, in Sandpoint,Idaho, June 18-22, 2003.

“Visual attention to repeated Internet images: Testing the scanpath theory on the World Wide Web,” ETRA 2002: eye-tracking research and applications symposium, New Orleans, La., March 2002.

"Where the action is: Visual approaches for analyzing the Web," panel discussion that brought together a group of visual communication scholars to describe current research being conducted on the analysis of Web-based messages at National Communication Association’s national conference in New Orleans, November 2002.

“Using eye-tracking research to eliminate confusion caused by the butterfly ballot design used in the 2000 presidential election,” at Viscomm 2001, in Yamhill, Ore., June 21, 2001.

“Academia and Advertising: A Partnership Engaged in Visual Communication Research,” a panel discussion involving both academics and advertising professionals at National Communication Association’s national conference in Seattle, November 2000.

“A Portal to Understanding the Inner Workings of the Brain: Applying Noton and Stark’s 1971 Scanpath Theory to the World Wide Web,” at Viscomm 2000 in Chico Hot Springs, Mont., July 6, 2000.

TEACHING INNOVATIONS

Developed an online version of Editing (Comm. 3220) for WSU Online. Had 18 students in class and received an evaluation of 4.61 on a 5-point scale.

Developed new media component in Media Writing (Comm. 1130). Students did podcasting and blogging.

Developed and am in the process of continually updating Web pages for classes such as Media Writing (Comm. 1130), Editing (3220), Communication Research Methods (Comm. 3150), Law of Mass Communication (Comm. 3650) and Advertising (Comm. 3850). The pages contain information such as syllabi, lecture notes, study guides for tests, assignments, and links to important Web sites with supplemental information.

Developed and teach Communication Research Methods (Comm. 3150), a class now required of all communication students. Course emphasizes both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Students receive Scientific Inquiry (SI) credit for this course.

PROFESSIONAL-RELATED SERVICE

• 2008 Chair of College of Arts and Humanities Rank, Tenure and Evaluation Committee
• 2005-2008 Member of College of Arts and Humanities Rank, Tenure and Evaluation Committee
• 2007 Member of search committee for dean of College of Arts and Humanities
• 2006-present Co-chair of committee to establish a master’s degree in Communication
• 2005-present Chair of Curriculum Committee in Department of Communication
• 2007-present Member of Bylaws Committee in Department of Communication
• 2000-2001
• 2002-2003 Member of Faculty Senate
• 1996-1999
• 2003-2008 Member of Faculty Senate committee, Constitutional Review,
• Apportionment and Organization
• 1999-2001 Chair of Visual Communication Commission of the National Communication Association
• 1997-1999 Vice-chair of Visual Communication Commission of the National Communication Association

WORK EXPERIENCE

• 1993-present Consultant on advertising research, primarily using eye-tracking methodology
• 1983-1992, 1980-1981 Weekend editor, graphics editor, assistant news editor, reporter, Standard-Examiner, Ogden, Utah
• 1981-1983, 1978 News editor, reporter, The Herald Journal, Logan, Utah
• 1978-1979 Reporter, Colorado Springs Sun, Colorado Springs, Colo.
• 1974-1978 Reporter, The Leader, Tremonton, Utah

OTHER CAMPUS INVOLVEMENT

• 2006-2008 Founding adviser to WSU’s chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, national honor society for communication students
• 1994-2001 The Signpost adviser (student newspaper)
• 1996-present Founding adviser to WSU’s Society of Professional Journalists
• 1999-present Adviser to students in journalism concentration

HONORS AND AWARDS

• 2000 Named Ralph Nye Professor in Honors Department
• 1998 Received Lowe Innovative Teaching Award
• 1997 Recognized as Distinguished New Faculty by the Honors Department

MEMBERSHIPS

• National Communication Association (NCA)
• Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
• Association for Computing Machinery (ACM)