Date Approved

5-15-2008

Embargo Period

3-22-2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

M.A. in School and Public Librarianship

Department

Special Educational Services/Instruction

College

College of Education

Advisor

Shontz, Marilyn

Subject(s)

Birth control in literature; Young adult fiction in libraries

Disciplines

Library and Information Science

Abstract

Young adult literature can be a safe method of receiving correct and vital information about birth control in novels that contain sexual activity. It is important that birth control in young adult novels is dealt with accurately, honestly, thoroughly, and in an unbiased way. There has been little research done on how birth control is presented in YA novels and how it may have changed over time. To study this topic, ten YA novels were read and analyzed. Five of the novels were written prior to 1990 and the other five were written after 1990. Each novel was analyzed for mentions of specific types of birth control, if those methods were actually used, and if the mentions were presented accurately and positively. It was found that although some positive changes in how birth control was presented in YA novels have occurred over time, the change was not been significant enough.

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