EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION

Since the first issue of  Scientia et Humanitas in 2011, the journal has upheld a twofold 
mission. Not only does Scientia strive to showcase the highest quality of  student 
research at MTSU, but it attempts to introduce students to the rigor of  the peer-re-
view publishing process. Publication is no walk in the park. Authors are asked, 
usually several times, to revise their work in the fullest sense of  the word—i.e., 
to re-envision and to reevaluate the content, purpose, and organization of  their 
articles. Revision can be discouraging because it sometimes requires the writer to re-
move whole paragraphs or to go in search of  more sources. In her book The Writing 
Life, Annie Dillard describes the writing process in terms of  building a house. The 
writer uses her hammer to tap the walls of  the building, checking for stability, and 
sometimes comes to the sad realization that not all of  the walls can stay: “There is 
only one solution, which appalls you, but there it is. Knock it out. Duck.”
  The articles featured in Scientia’s eighth issue are the product of  the patient 
and determined writers, from both the undergraduate and graduate student body at 
MTSU, who persevered through peer-review, faculty review, and multiple rounds of  
copyediting and proofreading. Their houses have stood the test of  a thorough revi-
sion process. I am proud of  their work and of  the opportunity as this year’s editor 
to present their efforts in a formal publication.
  In keeping with the journal’s title, this year’s issue features a variety of  top-
ics and disciplines that range from the sciences to the humanities. Jennifer Rideout 
received the Deans’ Distinguished Essay Award for her analysis of  the way Joseph 
Conrad uses the tragic event of  the Russian influenza as an extended metaphor in 
The Secret Agent. Andrew Black, another representative of  the humanities, writes 
about Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay, “Self-Reliance,” and the various misreadings 
that have been applied to Emerson’s infamous question, “Are these my poor?”
  In addition to the humanities, there are a series of  articles that range from 
nursing to communication studies. Elizabeth Jordan assesses the current state of  the 
science related to nursing-driven protocol for enteral feeding of  critically ill patients. 
Cassandra Mihalko investigates whether a callus tissue culture of  the King of  Bitters 
plant can be made of  its anti-inflammatory property, neoandrographolide. Mary De 
La Torre conducts an ethnographic study of  the way societal attitudes affect the 
treatment of  prison inmates in rural Tennessee. Finally, Katelyn Brooks examines 
how the new media landscape ushered in by the rise of  social media platforms re-
quires a reassessment of  the long-standing assumptions established by Agenda-set-
ting theory.
  I am also grateful for the team of  people who volunteered their time as 
reviewers and copyeditors. This year’s Scientia staff  includes the following group 
of  graduate and undergraduate reviewers: Andrew Black, Gregory Bronson, Corey 
Cummings, Jasmin Laurel, Rachel Marlin, Wyatt May, Ella Morin, and Hillary Yea-



ger. Without their help in (re)reading articles, attending to minute issues of  syntax 
and grammar, and without their general enthusiasm for the journal itself, this year’s 
issue would not have made it into your hands. A special thanks goes to Megan Do-
nelson, my associate editor, who headed up our social media campaign to solicit arti-
cles, and who also helped review and manage many of  the submissions we received 
this year.
  I would also like to thank the Honors College administrative faculty of  Sci-
entia. Both Dr. Phillips and Dr. Vile helped us secure some of  the faculty reviewers 
for this year’s issue. Susan Lyons is responsible for the design of  the printed edition. 
Finally, Marsha Powers has been an indispensable support for Scientia. Not only did 
she solicit articles, she was also generous with her time by allowing me to sit in her 
office and talk through all of  the challenges that come with publishing an academic 
journal.
  I hope that you enjoy the eighth edition of  Scientia et Humanitas. This is my 
third and final year working with the journal. Scientia has been an invaluable resource 
for me as a writer and researcher, and I hope that it will continue to be beneficial to 
MTSU students for many more years.

Nicholas Dalbey
Editor in Chief