Her research focuses mainly on visual communication and ethics. She has studied the effects of photographs on ethical reasoning, the role of images in agenda setting, and the moral development of journalists and public relations practitioners, among other topics. She has published more than 15 peer reviewed articles in academic journals including Journal of Communication, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, Journal of Mass Media Ethics, Visual Communication Quarterly, Newspaper Research Journal, Journalism, and Journalism Studies. She has a book, published in 2005 with co-author with Lee Wilkins of the University of Missouri, titled "The Moral Media: How Journalists Reason About Ethics."