Digital Commons Network^™

Enhancing Student And Graduate Employability In The Hospitality Industry: A Video Project, Thyagarajan V. Ammachathram

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Employment interviews are designed to judge the qualifications and desirability of a candidate for a job. Research shows that interviews are incredibly important in getting the right job. A study conducted by the Bureau of National Affairs pinpointed the most important factors in hiring applicants, with employment interviews being the single most important factor in getting a job (Elfner, 2006). Hospitality firms are placing greater emphasis on the ability of graduates to fit within their businesses (Pittaway & Thedham, 2005). Even though qualifications and skills are vital for selection, candidates should know how to set themselves apart from other candidates …

Understanding The Experience Of Teenage Parents: An Empirical Examination Of Attitudes And Expectations Among Education Professionals, Janet Lynn Pietrowski

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Approximately 10% of all adolescents between 15-19 years old in the United States become pregnant, with about half of these pregnancies resulting in birth. Several variables have been correlated with long-term outcomes for teenage mothers, including poor academic achievement, lower occupational attainment, poor mental health, and socioeconomic hardship. Social support is one factor that moderates these outcomes. This study employed the use of written vignettes to examine differences in expectations for success (educational, economic, and psychological) that educational professionals have for teenage mothers and non-mother adolescents (N=145). Vignettes were varied according to levels of social support and parenting status, with …

Student Prosocial Behavior In Selected Elementary Classroom, Janet L. Fisher

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Contribution Of Self-Determination Theory To An Understanding Of Psychological Distress Among Young Adults: Mediation Of Practical Involvement And Autonomy Support By Autonomy, Controlled, And Impersonal Orientations, Bradley D. Rockafellow

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The concept of autonomy, as conceptualized by SDT researchers, in relationship to the development of psychopathology has received little empirical attention. According to Selfdetermination theory (SDT; Ryan, Deci, & Grolnick, 1995), if parents facilitate, rather than undermine, the critical parenting dimensions of autonomy support, involvement, and structure, then children will develop as psychologically healthy adults. In addition, SDT would also predict that based on these critical parenting dimensions, children will develop differential inner motivational orientations (i.e., autonomy, control, and impersonal) representing varying degrees of autonomy (i.e., self determined behavior), which in turn should predict psychological distress or health. To test …

An Analysis Of A Developmental Kindergarten And Pre-First Program And Their Effects On Academic And Behavior Outcomes, Amanda R. Reenders

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Comparative Study Of Athletic Apparel Made From Cotton/Flax, Cotton/Polyester, And Polyester/Flax Blends, Elizabeth Skomra

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The desired attributes of sports apparel garments are to have durability characteristics, such as tearing and tensile strength, and comfort characteristics, such as wicking, vapor transmission, and air permeability. Currently, most sports apparel is made from a blend of polyester or other synthetic fibers. Through examining the uniqueness of natural fibers, such as cotton and flax, the advantages and benefits of using a higher percentage of natural fibers when manufacturing comfortable and functional high performance athletic wear can be obtained.

Results from this study, regarding durability, determined that for both tearing and breaking strength, traditional sports apparel made with polyester/cotton …

An Ecological Momentary Assessment Of Retrospective Memory Accuracy In Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Andrew T. Gloster

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Numerous studies have demonstrated the pervasiveness of inaccuracies in patients’ retrospective recall of their symptoms (e.g., Stone, Broderick, Shiffman, & Schwartz, 2004). Assessment methods that rely heavily on retrospective recall may lead to faulty clinical inferences should a patient’s recall be biased or inaccurate. Despite lingering concerns about the accuracy of retrospective recall in a variety of clinical and nonclinical populations, investigators have not studied individuals diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This is troubling given findings from laboratory studies that OCD patients may have deficits in episodic memory (Muller & Roberts, 2005). This study investigated memory accuracy in OCD patients …

Perception And Implementation Of Sustainable/Green Design In India, Shalini Nagaraj Magadi

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Profound effects of global warming, species extinction, pollution of air and water, resource depletion, and population growth demand that India, the second most populated country in the world, address the need for ecological responsibility. This phenomenological study explored awareness and perceptions of green/sustainable (G/S) design in India’s design community. Architects in the five geographic regions were interviewed. All were familiar with S/G design and said knowledge was “very important.” However, none felt “well-versed.” They believed lack of client awareness (49%) and materials (28%) were the major problems encountered. Although the vast majority was willing to promote S/G design, none had …

A Causal Comparative Factorial Analysis Of Factors Affecting Service Level Agreements In A U.S. Navy Enterprise Information Systems Network, Jamie Lee Quintana

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This paper presents the results of a research study related to the Navy and Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI). This study used MANOVA and one-way ANOVA, including post hoc tests, to analyze data sets corresponding to service level agreement metrics for over 300 Navy sites. Within the NMCI network, factors size, server farm, Network Operations Center (NOC), area, region, and group are affecting the performance metrics as defined in the service level agreements (SLA). Each one of the factors is statistically disparate for at least one SLA. Checks for normality indicate nonnormal behavior for most data sets. The results, conclusions, and …

A Conceptual Plan For The Detroit Book And Tower Building: Exploration Of The Conjunction Of Historic Preservation And Sustainable Design Concepts, Chi-Ying Luo

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This conceptual project generated an adaptive reuse proposal for the Book and Tower Building in a registered historic district. Louis Kamper designed the thirteen-story Book Building in 1917, in the Beaux Arts style, to create elite shops and offices. In 1926 the thirty-six-story Tower Building extended the leaseable space. This proposal preserved and rehabilitated the historic features in the lobby area and renovated the retail spaces. An Asian Café was designed to contrast, but blend with, the Beaux Arts style. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation were followed in the lobby area so as to make the renovation …

Relationships Of Habitat Characteristics To The Relative Abundance Of Native And Invasive Amphipods In Western Lake Erie, James P. Duggan

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Girl Power: Feminine Motifs In Japanese Popular Culture, David Endresak

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Professional Learning Communities: Where Does Special Education Fit In?, Jacqueline B. Shipley

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This project will consist of an in-depth review of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and their increasing role in districts and schools across the country. This project will document successes of PLCs and those components of a PLC that are most essential to the success of beginning and maintaining one. It will also look at the barriers that arise in attempting to implement a PLC in a district and/or school, and how best to overcome those barriers. Finally, this project will focus on the implications for special education when formulating and implementing a PLC in a school.

Methodology will consist of …

The Ethics Of Genetic Testing And The Role Of The Professional Nurse In Practice, Brad J. Phillips

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Problem Solving In The Fourth Grade Classroom, Lisa Lefevre

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Assessing The Need For Dual Diagnosis Training For Mental Health Workers Serving Youth In Michigan, Kathleen "Lucy" Mcgoron

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Dual diagnosis is the co-occurrence of substance use and another psychiatric disorder. Research has shown that people with dual diagnosis have worse outcomes than those with only substance use or another psychiatric disorder. A considerable amount of research has been conducted on training programs which help better serve adults with dual diagnosis, but there have been minimal efforts for training mental health workers who serve youths. This project examines the need for training in community mental health workers in Michigan who work with youths. Results indicate that a quarter of youths being seen for treatment need substance use services, however …

Complexity Trends In The Evolutionary History Of Dasycladalean Algae, Michael Stearns

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Dasycladalean algae are a group of marine algae that have an excellent fossil record extending back more than 500 million years. In our study, we investigated morphological complexity over the evolutionary history of this group. To determine complexity for each of more than 400 species, we assigned numerical values for six morphological features; the sum for each species forms a quantitative expression of complexity. We found that although maximum complexity increased over time, forms with minimum complexity persisted during most of the evolutionary history of the group.

Correlational Relationship Between Jealousy, Self-Esteem, And Locus Of Control In An Undergraduate Population, Rebecca C. Cooley

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Jealousy is a reaction to a perceived threat in a relationship. It can lead to relationship dissatisfaction and even violence. By better understanding which personality traits are linked with jealousy we can better understand this emotion and its expression. The present study investigates the relationship between jealousy, self-esteem, and locus of control. The total number of participants was 180 (95 male, 78 female, 7 missing data) which were recruited from introductory psychology classes. Participants completed a 79-item survey, which contained the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Interpersonal Jealousy Scale, and the Multidimensional Locus of Control Scales: God Control Revision. The correlation …

The Factor Structure Of The Depressive Personality Disorder Inventory, Jude Chamberlain

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The Depressive Personality Disorder Inventory (DPDI) was created by Dr. Steven Huprich to assess depressive personality in clinical and nonclinical samples. A statistical method called varimax factor analysis was used to compare DPDI scores of 851 individuals with scores on the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Resulting data showed the two measures were highly intercorrelated. Subsequent revisions were made to the DPDI to increase its utility as an assessment tool while also maintaining internal consistency.

Best-Fit Bioethics: The Formation Of Ethical And Political Positions On Stem Cell Research, Emily Zehnder

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Few issues in bioethics inspire controversy and garner headlines like human embryonic stem cell research. This cutting-edge research can be at once confusing, exciting, and disturbing. Scientists eagerly tout the potentially life-saving therapies this research could produce, giving hope to the millions who suffer from debilitating diseases and to their loved ones. However, to obtain these longed-for miracles of modern science, human embryos must be destroyed. And many people object to this aspect of the research. Despite being sympathetic to those who suffer, these people do not believe that any benefits merit the large-scale destruction of what they consider to …

Utopian Religions In America: The Shakers, The Oneida Perfectionists And The Mormons, An Issue Of Survival, Robin Kirkbride

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The Mormon Church has attracted many new members to its religion since its inception and has grown into a world religion. However, the Shakers only have a few remaining members, and the Oneida Perfectionists have none. By examining the founding figures’ personality traits, each community’s sexual attitudes and key rituals, and especially their recruitment methods, I will demonstrate why the Mormons have attracted so many more followers than the other two utopian communities, and why people have found the attitudes and rituals of the Mormon Church to be more attractive. In other words, I will show why the Mormons were …

Putting The Pieces Together: Effective Characteristics Of An Hr Internship Program, Matthew Gillim

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Many organizations often use students as interns in their human resource (HR) departments. What are the factors that make this successful for both the student and the organization? This report will look at characteristics for successful HR internships from both the student and the organizational viewpoints. It will show how to create an effective program as well as display recruiting techniques to attract and retain top notch candidates.

Bilingual Students And Family Literacy, Laura Green

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Unveiling Precedent: Reclaiming The Power Of Women In The Early Church, Ruth Adam

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

Beginning in the earliest Christian churches in the first century and continuing in Christianity today, the religious role of women has been the subject of constant debate. Time and time again, the position of women in the church has been used to gauge orthodoxy, and delineating their proper roles has been the focus of numerous church councils, theologians, and religious authorities. However, unlike other church doctrines, the orthodox position of women has yet to be definitely established. Rather, it has been perpetually in flux, not only within the Catholic Church, but also among the many denominations of Christianity. As a …

Telemedicine And Ptsd Assessment Of Veterans: A Study Of Equivalence Between Videoconferencing (Vtc) And Face-To-Face (Ftf) Methods, Carole Porcari

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Telemedicine systems use telecommunications technology to provide health care services to clients with distance barriers to providers. This is relevant for America’s veterans who require services for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but find that these specialty services are not always available locally. This study compared a face-to-face (FTF) Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) interview and a videoconferencing (VTC) administration of the CAPS. Participants were 20 male veterans referred to a veteran’s affairs center for a PTSD assessment. Correlations between assessments ranged from .74 - .92, and statistical equivalence was demonstrated at 90% confidence intervals. Sensitivity of the VTC interview was found …

Causal Attributions And Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: The Relationships Among Dispositional Attributional Style, Trauma-Specific Attributions, And Ptsd, Sarah Reiland

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The learned helplessness model (Seligman, 1975) and its various revisions suggest that both dispositional attributional style and event-specific attributions may influence people’s responses to events. Attribution theory has been applied to the search for risk and resiliency factors in trauma survivors, but few studies have compared dispositional attributional style with traumaspecific attributions in relation to posttraumatic stress symptoms. In addition, studies of attributions and PTSD fail to take into account the importance to the individual of the events about which attributions are made. The importance of the situation is a key component of the hopelessness model. Attributions for causes of …

The Evolution Of Catholic Schools In The Diocese Of Grand Rapids, Michigan: A Case Study, Bernard T. Stanko

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

This longitudinal case study examined the origins, growth, and development of Catholic schools in the Diocese of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The purpose of this study was to understand how the Catholic schools evolved over time.

Four eras between 1833 and 2005 were investigated and described. Each era corresponds with changes to the physical size of the Diocese of Grand Rapids. These periods also correspond to sociological events that were also occurring. Data on Catholic schools were collected for each era. A conceptual framework was applied that considered the institutional environment in which the schools were founded and the task environment …

Analysis Of Tailpipe Particulate Matter Emission From A Sampling Of Kansas City Vehicles, Erika Louise Roesler

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

As the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) seeks to model vehicle emissions based on dynamic engine operating conditions, modal PM datasets will be investigated for their robustness and limitations under the requirements of the EPA’s model: MOVES. The Kansas City PM Characterization Study tested more than 500 light-duty gasoline cars and trucks on a dynamometer in summertime and wintertime temperatures with four different modal PM2.5 instruments.

Using data reduction techniques used to prepare other datasets for the MOVES model, the modal PM data were analyzed to determine its ability to be incorporated into MOVES. It was found through averages …

Integrating Reading Strategies Into The Science Curriculum, Sarah Gilson

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.

Synthesis Of An Aza-Cope Rearrangement - Mannich Cyclization Precursor From L-Proline, Patricia T. Sinawe

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

No abstract provided.