Seeking public relations/strategic communication practitioners to interview for doctoral dissertation

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October 2025 update: I’m currently wrapping up my interviews and preparing to move to the analysis stage. Thank you to everyone who agreed to an interview. They have been energizing and fascinating.

Are you a public relations/strategic communications practitioner who uses language professionally? I’m currently recruiting up to 20 practitioners for individual, 50-minute interviews conducted on Zoom, in person, or by email to explore how they think about language, writing, and professional responsibility. The study has been approved by the University of Oregon’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), and participation is entirely voluntary.

To be eligible, you must:

  1. Be 18 years of age or older
  2. Currently reside in the United States and work primarily for U.S.-based organizations or clients
  3. Have five or more years of experience working in public relations, strategic communication, or a similar professional communication function.
  4. Had at least one current or past position that had a substantial writing component. This means any professional writing, from drafting website content, social media posts, or internal communications, to creating media pitches, client proposals, or strategic plans.
  5. Complete the majority of your work in English (multilingual practitioners are welcome, but the focus will be on work done in English)

I aim to investigate how language influences public relations and strategic communication across various settings, work arrangements, sectors, and positions.

During the interview, you will be asked to:

  • Reflect on your writing and language practices and experiences as a practitioner
  • Describe how you make language decisions for audience-facing materials
  • Discuss your beliefs about language and professional responsibility

Each synchronous interview will be video- and/or audio-recorded for accuracy and note-taking, but your name and identifying information will be confidential. You will be given the option to review the transcript to ensure it accurately captures your statements.

This interview will be completed by Sandra Boone, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Oregon who worked as a professional communicator for 15 years in higher education, nonprofit, and political settings, and holds a Strategic Communication MA from the University of Minnesota. This research stems from her interest in exploring questions that arose while working and a genuine desire to learn from fellow practitioners.

If you’re interested or have questions, please leave a comment or message me on LinkedIn.

Text states: Seeking interview participants for doctoral dissertation Public relations and strategic communications professionals There are many assumptions and suspicions about what public relations practitioners think and do with language, but what is the truth? Interviews occurring August-November: 55-minute Zoom interviews In-person* or email options available * In-person interviews can occur in Minnesota (Aug-Sept. ) or Oregon (Oct.-Nov.).
Text states: Eligibility requirements To participate in this study, individuals must meet the following criteria: Have 5+ years of experience working in public relations, strategic communication, or a related professional communication function Have held at least one role with a substantial writing component (past or present) Complete the majority their work in English (multilingual practitioners are welcome) Reside in the U.S. and work primarily for U.S.-based organizations or clients 18 years of age or older I am interested in the ways practitioners think about language and professional responsibility across all settings, work arrangements, sectors, and positions.
A photo of Sandra and text stating: Text stating: Who is doing this research? This dissertation research is being done by Sandra Boone, a 4th-year Ph.D. candidate at the University of Oregon. I worked for 15 years as a professional communicator in higher education, nonprofit, and political settings. This research comes from questions I had when working, so I’d love to learn from you! Plus, you can receive a $15 gift card as a thank you. Learn more at boonesk.com, nd leave a comment or message on LinkedIn, if you are interested in doing an interview.

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