Research

My research focuses on the triggers of participation with digital news content. The personality and self-efficacy of the news reader, the topic of the story, the structure of the story, and the usability of the digital interface all probably play a role, and my research tries to sort out how each of those factors influence the likelihood that a reader will like, share or comment on a story. I am also interested in the effects of that participation on a host of variables including self-efficacy, knowledge gain, trust, public opinion, and public policy, as well as its influence on journalists and journalism organizations. 

I hope to extend theory in several areas, including how participation can increase self-efficacy and social learning in areas such as health, environmental policy, and politics.

I have conducted quantitative studies using experiment, survey, content analysis, and Q methodology, in conjunction with various statistical techniques. I round out my research projects with qualitative work, including in-depth interview and focus group, for which my years as a journalist and facilitator have prepared me well. 

PEER-REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS

• Liebler, C.M., Hatef, A., & Munno, G. (2016). Domestic violence as entertainment: Gender, role congruity and reality television. Media Report to Women, 44 (1), 6-11 & 18-19.
• Chung, M., Munno, G., and Moritz, B. (2015). Triggering participation: Exploring the effects of third-person and hostile media perceptions on online participation. Computers in Human Behavior, 53, 452-461.
• Munno, G., and Nabatchi, T. (2014). Public deliberation and co-production in the political and electoral arena: A citizens’ jury approach. Journal of Public Deliberation, 10 (1).
• Golan, G., and Munno, G. (2014). The framing of Latin America in elite U.S. media: An analysis of editorials and op-eds. Newspaper Research Journal, 35(1).
• Nabatchi, T., and Munno, G. (2014). Deliberative civic engagement: Connecting public voices to public governance. In P. Levine and K. Soltan (eds.), Civic Studies. Washington, D.C.:  Association of American Colleges and Universities, Bringing Theory to Practice Program.

PEER-REVIEWED RESEARCH PRESENTATIONS

• Munno, G., Chung, M., and Moritz, B. (2013). Triggering participation: An experimental test of third-person and hostile-media effects on online participation. At the American Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication 2013 annual conference, Washington, D.C.
• Munno, G. (2013). Constructive online comments. Presented in September at the International Society for the Scientific Study of Subjectivity (Q Methodology) annual conference, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
• Munno, G., and Nabatchi, T. (2013). Co-production in the political and electoral arena. Presented in May to the International Institute of Administrative Sciences Study Group on Co-Production of Government Services, The Hague, Netherlands.
• Moritz, B., and Munno, G. (2013). Testing the effects of framing on reader comments. Presented in June at the International Communication Association 2013 Conference, Journalism Studies Division, London, England.
• Golan, G., and Munno, G. (2012). The framing of Latin America in elite U.S. media: An analysis of editorials and op-eds. Presented at the World Association for Public Opinion Research Conference, Bogotá, Columbia. (Presented by Golan).
• Munno, G., and Song, S. (2011). Effects of existing comments on online news articles on subsequent comments. Presented at AEJMC Mid-Winter, 2012.

OTHER CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS

• Moderated the panel in honor of Dr. Shoemaker winning the Paul J. Deutschmann Award for Excellence in Research at AEJMC 2015.

CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS UNDER REVIEW

• Munno, G., Perez, S., and Zarett, E. (2016). An examination of journalism students’ judgments about news worthiness. Under review for International Communication Association’s 2017 conference.
• Dr. Gina Chen has included me as a presenter on a panel she has proposed for ICA 2017 titled, “Reinvigorating Theory in Journalism Studies: Theorizing Social Media, Big Data, and Journalism.”

TRAC RESEARCH REPORTS

TRAC reports are collaborative efforts, most of which do not carry bylines. Reports I played a significant role in producing include:

• Which Judges Juggle the Most Civil Cases? New TRAC Update Reveals Answers (10/23/2014, lead author)
• As Workloads Rise in Federal Court, Judge Counts Remain Flat (10/14/2014, co-author)
• New Data on Unaccompanied Children in Immigration Court (7/15/2014, editor)

FOIA PROJECT REPORTS
Served as lead author for TRAC on its FOIA Project site. Notable pieces include:

• Key Agencies Flub Simple FOIA Request (04/24/2015, lead author)
• Vote for the Worst FOIA Failure (03/11/2015, lead author)
• FOIA Suits Jump in 2014 (12/22/2014, also appeared in the Fall 2014 issue of IRE Journal)
• Bitter Dispute at Heart of FOIA Suits Against Army (11/ 20/2014, lead author)

CONTRACT RESEARCH

• Munno, G. (2012). Promoting early childhood development in Cayuga County: A baseline report to the Allyn Foundation. Included survey and focus group.
• Nabatchi, T., and Munno, G. (2012). Evaluating the Reclaim November Ohio Citizen Jury Process. A series of six pre- and post-tests of the participants in this intensive, multi-weekend process, along with analysis and a report to the Jefferson Center for New Democratic Processes.

GRANT AWARDS

• Four Freedom Funds (2015, $150,000) for TRAC’s Immigration Project. Co-author.
• CS Fund/Warsh-Mott Legacy Fund (2015, $100,000) for the FOIA Project. Co-author.
• Chancellor’s Leadership Award (2007, $100,000) for CNY Speaks. Co- author.