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Elyse Amend, PhD

Associate Professor, Journalism
Undergraduate Program Director, Journalism
Co-op Academic Director, Journalism


Elyse Amend, PhD
Office: L-CJ 4213  
Communication Studies and Journalism Building,
7141 Sherbrooke W.
Phone: (514) 848-2424 ext. 2466
Email: elyse.amend@concordia.ca
Availability: by appointment
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Elyse Amend, PhD's Explore Concordia page

Elyse Amend is a former Montreal-area community newspaper journalist and trade journal assistant editor. She holds a Ph.D. in Communication Studies from McGill University and has been teaching journalism at Concordia since 2011. Her past research has focused on science, health and environment journalism, journalism ethics, and the discourse of “anti-science” in Canadian political debates. Her current research projects examine reforms to the federal Access to Information Act and its impacts on Canadian journalism practice, data journalism and forms of non-traditional journalistic storytelling, and digital lifestyle journalism with a focus on food journalism.

Education

Ph.D. (Communication Studies), McGill University
M.A. (Journalism Studies), Concordia University
B.A. (Journalism), Concordia University  


Teaching activities

2023-2024

On sabbatical

Fall 2022

JOUR 302: Research and Reporting Methods for Journalism
JOUR 500/JOUR 601: Critical Approaches to Journalism

Past courses

JOUR 302: Research and Reporting Methods for Journalism
JOUR 443: Digital Magazine

JOUR 510: Web Editing and Page Design
JOUR 528: Digital Magazine

JOUR 605: Digital Innovation in Journalism
JOUR 642: Special Topics in Journalism Studies - Innovative Storytelling Through Food Journalism


Publications

Peer-reviewed articles

Thompson, M., Amend, E. & Marini, L. (2021). “Canadian Access to Information and journalists: obstacles and opportunities.” Facts & Frictions, 1(1), 1-18.

Amend,E. (2018). “The Confused Canadian Eater: quantification,personal responsibility, and Canada’s Food Guide.” Journal of CanadianStudies, 52(3), 718-741.

Amend, E.(2017). “My Food Guide, Their Food Guide: dealing with diversity and personalization in Canada’s national dietary guidelines.” CuiZine, 8(1).

Gabrial, B. & Amend, E. (2017). “The Ammo for the Canon: What Literary Journalism Educators Teach.” Literary Journalism Studies, 9(1), 83-99.

Amend, E. & Barney, D. (2016). “Getting it Right: Canadian Conservatives and the ‘War on Science’.” Canadian Journal of Communication, 41(1), 9-35.

Amend, E., Capurro, G. & Secko, D. M. (2014). “Grasping scientific news: The use of science journalism models to clarify the impacts of alternative forms of production.” Journalism Practice, 8(6), 789-808.

Bourassa, E., Amend, E. & Secko, D. M. (2013). “A Thematic Review and Synthesis of Best Practices in Environment Journalism.” Journal of Professional Communication, 3(1),39-65.

Secko, D. M., Amend, E. & Friday, T. (2013). “Four Models of Science Journalism: A Synthesis and Practical Assessment.” Journalism Practice 7(1), 62-80.

Amend, E., Kay, L. & Reilly, R. C. (2012). “Journalism on the Spot: Ethical Dilemmas When Covering Trauma and the Implications for Journalism Education.” Journal of MassMedia Ethics, 27(4), 235-247.

Amend, E. & Secko, D.M. (2012) "In the face of critique: A meta-synthesis of the experiences of journalists covering health and science" Science Communication, 34(2), 241-282.

Secko, D. M.,Tlalka, S., Morgan, D., Kingdon, A. & Amend, E. (2011). “The unfinished science story: Journalist-audience interactions from the Globe and Mail’s online health and science sections.” Journalism 12(7),814-831.

Kay, L., Reilly, R.C. Amend, E. & Kyle, T. (2011).“Between a rock and a hard place: The challenges of reporting about trauma and the value of reflective practice for journalists.” Journalism Studies12(4), 440-455.



Selected conference presentations

Amend, E. (2019). “Montreal’s “robo-calèches” controversy: an alternate reality live verification simulation.” World Journalism Education Congress, July 9-11, 2019 in Paris, France.

Amend, E. (2019). “Canadian Access to Information reform and journalists: overcoming obstacles and confronting apathy.” Canadian Communication Association Annual Conference, June 3-6, 2019 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Amend, E. (2019).Peeling back the layers on healthy eating policies in Canada: reflections on using Access to Information/Freedom of Information in food studies research.” Canadian Association for Food Studies Annual Conference, June 2-5, 2018 in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Amend, E. (2018). “Federal Access to Information reform and its impacts on Canadian journalism practice.” Canadian Communication Association Annual Conference, May 30 – June 1, 2018 in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Amend, E. (2018). “Covering Canada’s Food Guide: industry, experts, and objectivity.” Canadian Association for Food Studies Annual Conference, May 27-29, 2018 in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Amend, E. (2017). “Canada’s Food Guide and the Healthy Eater: investigating the “eating well” imperative.” Canadian Communication Association Annual Conference, May 30-June 2, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario.

Amend, E. (2017). “Confronting Canada’s Food Guide: food learning and the hands-on eater.” Canadian Association for Food Studies Annual Conference, May 27-30, 2017 in Toronto, Ontario.

Amend, E. (2015). “Expertise, common sense, and healthy Canadians: investigating hegemonic nutrition in Canada’s Food Guide.” International Association for Media and Communication Research Annual Conference, Emerging Scholars Network, July 12-16, 2015 in Montreal, Quebec.

Amend, E. (2015). “Measuring common sense: hegemonic nutrition in Canada’s Food Guide.” Canadian Association for Food Studies Annual Conference, May 30-June 2, 2015 in Ottawa, Ontario.

Amend, E. (2014). “Hungry for knowledge: Investigations into alternative languages of food expertise.”Association for the Study of Food and Society Annual Meeting, June 18-22, 2014 in Burlington, Vermont.  

Amend, E. (2012).“In search of models: An investigation into the practical use of models of science communication in science journalism production.” Canadian Communication Association Annual Conference, May 30-June 1, 2012 in Waterloo, Ontario.

Amend, E. & Secko, D.M. (2010). “In the face of critique: A qualitative meta-synthesis of the experiences of journalists covering health and science.” Canadian Communication Association Annual Conference, June1-3, 2010 in Montreal, Quebec.


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