| The purpose of this study was to determine Oklahoma State University (OSU) College of Agricultural Science and Natural Resources (CASNR) alumni's self-reported readership behaviors and their perceptions of the Cowboy Journal magazine. The population for this study included all dues-paying members of the Oklahoma State University College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resource Alumni Association who have reported an email address (N = 2,762). Participants of the study ( n = 329) were randomly selected. Descriptive research methodology was selected for this study to analyze perceptions of readers regarding content, design, utility, and overall perception of the Cowboy Journal magazine.;The typical CASNR Alumni Association member is a 46-year-old male who pursued a bachelor's degree at OSU and resides in Oklahoma. CASNR alumni perceive the content of the Cowboy Journal to be very good in regard to the range and variety of topics, understandability of information, and quality of writing. In addition, CASNR alumni perceive the general appearance of the magazine and the quality of photos and illustrations to be very good. CASNR alumni perceive the Cowboy Journal portrays the college accurately and objectively. CASNR alumni are quite impressed with the magazine and read nearly all of the articles in the publication. The alumni are most interested in reading about agriculture and natural resources and the issues of the industry. Cowboy Journal strengthens the alumni members' connection to CASNR. The researchers recommend further research be conducted on other audiences of the Cowboy Journal, such as CASNR faculty and staff, current students, and potential students of OSU, to determine whether their perceptions of the magazine differ from those of the alumni. |
