2023 Student Research Conference:
36th Annual Student Research Conference

A Cluster Criticism Analysis of Truman State University's COVID-19 Announcement


Genevieve J. Tlustos
Dr. Andrew Klyukovski, Faculty Mentor

    On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic (CDC, 2022). The same day, Truman State University announced a week-long suspension of classes following spring break (Truman State University, 2020).

    With all of the current knowledge, over three years after the first case, it’s possible society has forgotten how little people and institutions knew when the pandemic first started and how unsure they were of how to respond. With that in mind, a cluster criticism of one of Truman State University’s first correspondences, the March 11 announcement about the pandemic, will provide further insight. The criticism will investigate how the university chose to communicate to students about an area where little was known, what was most important for the university to do and communicate to students during this time, and who the university cited as sources and what that says about their response.

Keywords: Cluster Criticism, Truman State University Announcement, Rhetorical Analysis

Topic(s):Communication

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: 102-1
Location: SUB Georgian Room A
Time: 8:30

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