Digital Commons Network^™

The "Hope" Of Sandra Cisneros's The House On Mango Street: Affirming Community And Rejecting Machismo, Ann Marie Ladner

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Middle School Student Assistance Programs In The Sangamon Area Special Education District, Thomas H. Mulligan

Masters Theses

Schools face a growing population of at-risk students. For years, educators have searched for ways to assist at-risk students address their problems and improve academically. One program that has been implemented in many schools is called a student assistance program (SAP). Student assistance programs generally involve a core team, called the student assistance team (SAT), comprised of teachers, administrators, and guidance personnel. The student assistance program involves identifying student problems, referring students to the SAT, an in-depth study of information concerning the student, suggested interventions, support systems, and follow-up procedures. This study was done to determine what formal procedures, if …

The Other And Narrative Framing In Nabokov's The Real Life Of Sebastian Knight, Lolita, And Pnin, Stacey Vivian Overend

Masters Theses

Vladimir Nabokov is often noted for his portrayal of controversial characters, isolated from the real world. These characters, known as Others, are shunned by society because of their socially unacceptable or inappropriate behavior. However, in order to understand fully the Other and his motives, readers must evaluate the Other's behavior within the context of his alternate existence, an isolated existence created in response to the threat common society imposes on his Self. Focusing on three of Nabokov's novels, The Real Life of Sebastian Knight, Lolita, and Pnin, this thesis examines the character of the Other through two …

An Investigation Of Parental Perceptions Of Facilities, Communication Practices, Parental Involvement, And Educational Programs Of St. Mary School, Mount Vernon, Illinois, Aletta Lawrence

Masters Theses

This study investigated the parental perceptions of St. Mary School (a parochial K-6 school located in Mt. Vernon, Illinois) in order to assist the principal and school board in the implementation and formulation of policies which could benefit the students. The study addressed the following questions:

1. What are the perceptions of parents regarding the facilities at St. Mary School?

2. What are the perceptions of parents regarding the ways in which they are informed about St. Mary School?

3. What are the perceptions of parents regarding the extent to which they attend school related activities at St. Mary School? …

Beyond The Problem Novel: Robert Cormier's Vision And The World Of Adolescent Tragedy, Erik M. Walker

Masters Theses

Robert Cormier is "the premier writer for adolescents in the United States" according to The Handbook of American Popular Literature and dozens of literary critics. Although his novels have won numerous awards from the American Library Association (ALA), his novels have also generated controversy from critics who believe his novels are excessively dark and disturbing. Adolescents in Robert Cormier's world are by no means the average teenagers one may expect to find at a local high school. Instead, the adolescent world is shown to be more complex and dangerous, where evil preys on the good, where loneliness and isolation are …

Syntactic And Semantic Properties Of Intensive Reflexives In English, Marek R. Marciniak

Masters Theses

This thesis explores syntactic and semantic properties of intensive reflexives (IRs) in English. The study is based on examples selected from the following on-line databases: Wilson Humanities Abstracts and The New York Times Book Review Digest Abstracts. The analysis also incorporates examples cited from linguistic articles on the subject of RRs and IRs.

As opposed to regular reflexives (RRs), IRs have not been given sufficient consideration in linguistic accounts. As a point of departure, the author utilizes Quirk's and Greenbaum's descriptive framework to examine the evidence from the database. Since RRs are discussed more extensively than IRs in this framework, …

Speaking Of The Raj: Kipling, Forster, And Scott On The English Language In British India, Victoria K. Tatko

Masters Theses

In my thesis I examine how language, particularly the English language, participated in the Raj, as depicted thematically in Rudyard Kipling's Kim (1901), E. M. Forster's A Passage to India (1924), and Paul Scott'sThe Raj Quartet (1966-1975): The Jewel in the Crown (1966), The Day of the Scorpion (1968), The Towers of Silence (1971), and A Division of the Spoils (1975). I show that all three authors portray language as central to British colonialism in India; the connection between the English language and the Empire grows increasingly problematic as the linguistic situation becomes a metaphor for the state of …

A Comparison Of Measures In Physical Fitness And Biological Maturity Between Female Gymnasts And Females Not Involved In Organized Sport, Cara Kokenes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in physical fitness and biological development between two groups of twelve year old females. One group consisted of idividuals who had been involved in competitive sport for at least two years while the other group was not involved in organized sport. Two groups of 20 subjects were examined in terms of height, weight, flexibility, strength, body composition, maturation, eating attitudes, and cardiorespiratory endurance. The results indicated that the gymnasts were significantly (p<.05) shorter, lighter, stronger in regard to left hand grip strength, lower in percent body fat, less biologically mature, and had greater cardiorespiratory fitness than the non-gymnasts. No significant differences were observed in right hand grip strength or eating attitudes. It was concluded that maturation level as well as gymnastic training played a major role in influencing values obtained through measurements of physical fitness.

Overture For Chamber Band: Score And Analysis, Shinjung Kim

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Differences In Burnout Among Special Education Teachers, Mike D. De Boer

Masters Theses

A random sample of special education teachers in Iowa completed survey materials including the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a demographic and background information questionnaire (N=179). Results suggested that special educators in Iowa generally experience moderate levels of emotional exhaustion, low levels of depersonalization, and low levels of personal accomplishment. Demographic factors (e.g., age, gender, years of experience) did not predict burnout, nor did most job-related factors (e.g., number of students served, type of classroom setting) . The only factor found to predict burnout in this study was the type of student served. Future research should focus on individual factors that …

Sex Differences In The Relations Between Sex Guilt And Sexual Experience, Melanie M. Brown

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine whether sex differences exist in the relations between sex guilt and sexual behavior. Past research has examined variables that affect sex guilt and found that sex guilt and sexual behavior are inversely related. This study specifically examined sex differences and how they affect this relation. The participants were 163 male and female undergraduate students at Eastern Illinois University. Mosher's revised Sex guilt Inventory and Paulson and Sputa's Sexual Behavior Frequency survey were administered along with a biographical data sheet.

Bivariate correlation analyses revealed that sex guilt and sexual behavior were inversely related. …

Effects Of Educational Strategies On The Identification Of Sexual Harassment, Danielle R. Birdeau

Masters Theses

Several studies have demonstrated the pervasiveness of sexual harassment, indicating that approximately one in three women in the workplace report having been victims of sexual harassment, while an estimated one out of two female students experience some form of sexual harassment. Previous research has focused on prevalence and perceptions of sexual harassment with little emphasis on prevention. This study assessed the effectiveness of two different educational strategies which were designed to aid in the prevention of sexual harassment. It was hypothesized that focused training which clearly defines and provides examples of harassing behavior are the best educational model. Results indicate …

A Comparison Of Blood Cholesterol Levels And The Intake Of Dietary Trans Fatty Acids In Post-Menopausal Women, Bridget Cartwright

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between dietary trans fatty acids and levels of total serum cholesterol, high and low density lipoproteins, and the ratio of total serum cholesterol to HDL in apparently healthy post-menopausal women.

Subjects (n = 21) were current members of the Eastern Illinois University Adult Fitness Program. All were moderately active Caucasian women determined to be post-menopausal and not taking hormone replacement therapy or lipid lowering medications. Mean age of the subjects was 69.1 ± 9.1 years.

Dietary intakes were assessed with the use of a multiple day food record and personal …

Importance Of Nonverbal Communication In The Employment Interview, Michelle E. Milano

Masters Theses

The employment interview includes elements that focus on nonverbal communication. Females and males view these nonverbal cues differently. A total of 22 male and 16 female employment interviewers completed quantitative and qualitative surveys concerning nonverbal cues. The data were analyzed using factor analysis, t-tests, and thematic analysis. Five factors, including self-presentation, coverbal cues, appearance, touch, and interviewee sex, emerged from the factor analysis. At 0.05, the t-tests show that females do perceive more nonverbal cues than do males. The qualitative results provide further insight into the quantitative results. These findings show the importance of nonverbal cues during an employment interview.

Historical Romances: An Analysis Of Co-Constructed Narratives From Engaged Couples, Katie Himes

Masters Theses

By studying the manner in which romantic partners tell accounts of their relationship events, researchers can gain insight into the process of relational development. This study examines how five engaged couples socially construct their own shared reality. Using critical incidents, couples first individually described three critical incidents common to engaged couples, including: their first meeting, worst fight, and decision to become a mutually exclusive couple. Next, couples collaborated to produce a shared narrative of significant events in the relationship. Through content analysis, the use of conflict avoidance is examined as a means of creating the collective reality. This research provides …

The Potential Of Token Tension: An Examination Of The Keynote Addresses Of Barbara Jordan And Susan Molinari, Julie E. Ferris

Masters Theses

Political parties are both an influential and an integral part of American politics. Parties are constantly trying to protect and expand this influence in many different ways; primarily by appearing inclusive of all groups. One strategy in this effort is to employ the use of token individuals who both symbolize the groups that the party wants to feel included and encourage a belief about the overall inclusive character of the political party. Thus, an examination of the creation of these token individuals and their use within the party becomes necessary. To do this, a critique of the rhetoric tokens produce …

Race-Class Interactions In Stereotyping, Claudine Hoffman Truong

Masters Theses

The present study investigated race and class stereotypes about Whites and African-Americans. The study recruited 160 subjects (eighty White and eighty African-American). Each subject read a brief class and race description of a person, and listed ten adjectives rating how positive or negative they intended the adjective to be. They also had to place themselves in a class and rate the importance of criteria used in that class placement. The study revealed that African-American (A.A.) subjects gave highest ratings to a person described as A.A., and White (W.) subjects gave highest ratings to a person described as W. Furthermore, subjects …

The Relationships Among Length Of Sleep And Performances On Arithmetic, Digit Span, And Digit Symbol Subtests Of The Wais-R In College Students, Mike F. Welsh

Masters Theses

Eighty-one college students (26 Male and 55 Female) were administered the Digit Span, Arithmetic, and Digit Symbol subtests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R). Two questionnaires were given to the participants. The first requested the participant to report their sleep habits over the last 30 days (Past Month Sleep), the night before the tests (Night Before Sleep), and the amount of sleep they feel they need in order to feel well rested (Needed Sleep). While the second asked if they had given their best effort during testing. Upon completion, the subtest scores were explored in order to determine if …

Multilingualism & Interference: The More Languages We Speak, The More Interference We Experience?, Shelly Ng

Masters Theses

The current study investigates whether interference among languages is related to the number of languages learned. The hypothesis being examined is: The more languages one speaks, the more interference one experiences among the languages. This hypothesis was tested on 44 subjects who participated in the Stroop color-word test. The subjects consisted of 15 monolinguals, 14 bilinguals, and 15 multilinguals. The results suggest that the number of languages one speaks fluently has no effect on that person's response speed. The data suggest that fluency is the key to quickness in the Stroop test. In addition, female subjects responded significantly more quickly …

Heartworm And Lungworms In Illinois' Canids And Their Possible Effect On Coyote Condition And Reproduction, David G. Gregory

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the prevalence of heartworm and lungworms in Illinois' canid species, and the effect that they may have on condition (body weight, kidney fat, marrow fat) and reproduction (placental scars) on coyote populations. A total of 1,150 coyotes (Canis latrans), 2,269 domestic dogs, 47 red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), and 2 gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) were examined. Prevalence of heartworms (Dirofilaria immitis) averaged 17.8% in coyotes, 3.0% in domestic dogs, 2.0% in red foxes, and 0% in gray foxes. Domestic dogs not receiving any type of prophylactic treatment had a higher prevalence (12.5%) of heartworms than dogs on …

The Role Of Bowfin, Amia Calva, In Multiple Species Management Plans, Benjamin Jacob Hausmann

Masters Theses

The major challenge to fisheries managers of the 21st century will be to maintain the diversity, not only of fishing opportunity, but also of traditionally non-game and economically unimportant species. With the relatively recent understanding of the importance of ecosystem level management, attention is being focused on native species that were often ignored or eradicated under past management practices. One such fish that has been largely ignored is the bowfin, Amia calva. Ecological data pertaining to bowfin natural history are limited and to date no attempt has been made to integrate bowfin into fisheries management decisions within the species native …

Habitat Selection, Reproductive Success, And Impaling Patterns Of A Migratory Population Of Loggerhead Shrikes, Jeffrey D. Esely Jr.

Masters Theses

I studied habitat selection and reproductive success of a migratory population of Loggerhead Shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus migrans) as well as the temporal and spatial patterns of impaling exhibited by this population during the nesting season. The selection of breeding habitat was investigated at different spatial scales. Thirty-eight (67%) of 57 nests were located in osage orange (Maclura pomifera) trees. Shrike territories (area ≤ 200 m from nest site) contained significantly more pasture, fenceline, and perch sites, but less com, alfalfa, and forest than random sites. At larger spatial scales, more grassland was detected within 300 m …

Parent Perceptions Of Speech And Language Characteristics Of Children With Fragile X Syndrome, Trina Marie Ungrund

Masters Theses

Children with Fragile X syndrome (FXS) have significant speech/language difficulties. Additional information is needed regarding the demographics and speech/language characteristics of this population. Participants in this study were parents of children with FXS. Contact persons for three FXS support groups were notified of this study and were asked to provide surveys to parents of children with FXS. The survey was completed by 50 parents of children with FXS who answered questions concerning their child's demographics and speech/language characteristics. Information on speech/language characteristics was gathered through use of a severity rating scale. This severity rating scale was used to rate the …

The Effects Of Field-Based Learning On The Knowledge, Behaviors And Practices Of Teachers And Students, Mary Jo Kosco

Masters Theses

The outdoor environment has the potential to serve as a teeming laboratory with numerous opportunities for students to study various science-related phenomena and processes. However important teachers deem outdoor experiences in science, they also bear doubts about their abilities to teach in these natural surroundings. Providing teachers with the training necessary to teach using field-based activities would help develop and strengthen the teachers' and consequently their students' interest in science, their background knowledge of basic science concepts and processes and possibly affect their behaviors towards the environment. This study was designed to measure the extent science teachers' field-based learning experiences …

Ngatish, Dale T. Mosley

Masters Theses

Ngatish is a tragedy involving the lives of Othello's African family. My purpose in writing this play is to explore the shifts in roles between women and men in powerful and subservient positions. Therefore, I have created an historical 16th-century African setting for the play while the story-line explores the lives of Othello, his African family, and his first wife, Ngatish.

Through Ngatish, I want to answer some to the unknowns in Othello: how was such a notorious general so easily and readily duped by an obviously envious man as Iago: what were his secrets; his …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of Tactile Stimulation For Task-Related Behaviors And Language Comprehension On Two Children With Autism, Lynn A. Patterson

Masters Theses

Previous research has investigated the effects of tactile stimulation on autistic behavior in the realm of occupational therapy (McClure, & Holtz-Yotz, 1991; Zissermann, 1991); however, no studies were found which investigated the effects of tactile stimulation on autistic behavior within the realm of speech-language pathology. This study was conducted to examine the effects of tactile stimulation on task-related behaviors and language comprehension.

The subjects were two school-aged males with Pervasive Developmental Disorder (Autism) grouped for speech-language therapy. The subjects exhibited difficulties in modulating sensory input in the areas of tactile/proprioceptive functioning, as assessed by an occupational therapist. Both subjects were …

An Investigation Of Student Retention Practices And Development Of A Proposed School Retention Policy For The Beecher City, Illinois School District, Douglas C. Heiden

Masters Theses

The purposes of the study were to investigate student retention policies and practices in selected elementary schools in the Beecher City, Illinois, area and to develop a proposed school retention policy for the Beecher City School District where the author was employed as an emementary school principal. The issue of student retention has been debated across the country for decades. The review of literature and research found mixed evidence concerning the effectiveness of student retention. Since retention is an age-old practice, an historical review of literature was included to inform the reader of progression of the practice of retention in …

Consumption And Knowledge Of Folate Among College Students, Dawn Leininger

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Case Study Of The Cross-Age Tutoring Program Offered At Lincoln Trail College, Cora J. Weger

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Perceptions Related To Healthful Eating And Physical Activity Among Eastern Illinois University Students, Wendy N. Zaucha

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.