Digital Commons Network^™

Degradation Of Trazine Compounds Via Metallic Iron Under Acidic Conditions, Tracy Dombek

Masters Theses

The degradation of dissolved dimethoxyatrazine (2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine), terbutylazine (2-chloro-4-ethylamino-6-terbutylamino-1,3 ,5-triazine) and deisopropylatrazine (2-amino-4-chloro-6-ethylamino-1,3,5-triazine) via metallic iron was studied as a function of solution pH. Generally, degradation was more rapid the lower the solution pH and higher the compound pKa. For dimethoxyatrazine k_SA (k_SA= k' (min^-1)* V (L) / M (g) I SA(m²/g)) was found to be 1.33 (± 0.07) E-4 min^-1 m^-2 L at pH 2, 6.1 (± 0.6) E-5 min^-1 m^-2 L at pH 3 and 4.4 (± 0.6) E-5 min^-1 m^-2 L at pH 4. For …

The Noble Survivor And The Sublime Victim: A Study Of Two Hardy Heroines, Elizabeth-Jane And Tess, Wei Gao

Masters Theses

In his novel-writing career, Thomas Hardy created a host of female characters struggling to survive in nineteenth-century England. Whether center stage or in the background, these women embody Hardy's insights into the conditions of the female sex--their frailties, strength, miseries, dreams, and finally, their destinies. Throughout his career as a novelist, Hardy's representation of women has not been consistent. His earlier heroines--heroines in the novels preceding The Mayor of Casterbridge (1886)--are generally depicted as faulty characters eventually subdued or destroyed. In contrast, the later heroines are portrayed with increasing emphasis on their intellectual or mental traits and moral superiority. This …

Delight, Subversion And Truth In The Canterbury Tales: Chaucer's Talking Birds, Terri Benson Blair

Masters Theses

Geoffrey Chaucer mentions birds over 240 times throughout The Canterbury Tales (Tatlock and Kennedy). This frequent allusion to birds is significant, especially since three of his twenty-four tales are actually about birds. What makes these three tales particularly fascinating is that their bird protagonists have the gift of speech. This study examines Chaucer's use of bird imagery in The Canterbury Tales, in particular, his use of talking birds in "The Squire's Tale," "The Nun's Priest's Tale" and "The Manciple's Tale." My theory is that Chaucer uses bird imagery and talking birds to question the sovereign power of the fourteenth-century …

The Cultural Sensitivity Of Pre-Service Teachers: Measuring The Degree To Which Teachers Are Prepared To Work With Diverse Populations, Teresa A. Freking

Masters Theses

A study was conducted of 39 pre-service teachers regarding their level of cultural sensitivity. Participants completed a 26-item inventory adapted from the Cultural Diversity Awareness Inventory created by Henry (1985). The results suggest that a multicultural field experience may have a slight positive effect on the cultural sensitivity of pre-service teachers, however, this effect seems to be limited in degree and specific to certain response types. A general, positive effect on the overall cultural sensitivity of pre-service teachers is not supported in this study. The results of the second part of the study indicate that pre-service teachers today self-report they …

Teachers' Perceptions Of The Influence Of Standardized Tests On Curricular And Instructional Practices, Jennifer Joy Davis Fox

Masters Theses

Does a student's performance on a standardized test measure the quality of education he/she is receiving? Many students today are being bombarded with standardized assessments mandated by state and district policies. The pressure to perform well on these assessments causes teachers to focus their classroom instructional time on test preparation even at the expense of the non-tested topics and curricular areas. A written survey was designed to determine teachers' perceptions of the influence of standardized tests on curricular and instructional practices. Participating in this study were third and fourth grade teachers (n=67) who administer the Illinois Standards Achievement Test (ISAT). …

The Effects Of Collaboration Versus Traditional Service Delivery On Reading And Listening Comprehension With School-Aged Students, Megan E. Grimaldi

Masters Theses

This study investigated improvement of reading comprehension and listening comprehension in school-aged students in first through third grades at two different elementary schools. Approximately half of the students at each school received collaborative classroom-based language lessons from the teacher and speech-language pathologist. The other half of the students at each school received regular instruction from the classroom teacher without input from the speech-language pathologist. The speech-language pathologist provided services to the students with speech or language IEP goals in the collaborative classrooms primarily in the classroom during these language lessons. The students who received speech or language services in the …

Parental Influence On Career Development Among College Students, Michael W. Ladd

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between students' perceptions of parental influence on their college and career choices and their emotional independence from parents. The relationship between satisfaction with career/major choice (as demonstrated by vocational commitment) and parental influence was also examined. In addition, relationships between emotional independence from parents and commitment to a career field were explored.

To meet the research objectives, four research questions were addressed. First, is the Perceived Parental Influence scale, developed for this study, a reliable and valid scale? Second, is there a significant relationship between students' perceptions of parental influence …

"Retracing Our Steps": Storytelling, Time, And Traditional Referentiality In Mama Day And Absalom, Absalom!, Christine Ann Roth

Masters Theses

Gloria Naylor and William Faulkner turn to the history and tradition of oral storytelling in their novels. Mama Day and Absalom, Absalom! especially present the concepts and techniques of the storytelling act. The complexities of the audience-performer dynamic and non-linear time in an oral storytelling event create obstacles for the teller (the writer) and confuse the role of the audience (the readers). Writers create the role of listening audience for the readers, changing the accepted rules of the readers by asking them to become participants. In Mama Day and Absalom, Absalom!, Naylor and Faulkner create connections between audience …

Differences In The Dreaming Style Of Schizophrenic And Non-Schizophrenic Subjects Based On Subscales Of The Dreaming Style Questionnaire, Larry Knopp

Masters Theses

The differences in dreaming style between 25 participants diagnosed with schizophrenia and 90 participants comprising a control group were examined. A Dreaming Style Questionnaire (DSQ), was administered to each participant. Nine subscales of the DSQ were used to explore differences in dreaming style between these two groups. A significant difference (p <.003) was found for the familiarity of characters subscales, showing those diagnosed with schizophrenia report that the characters in their dreams are unfamiliar to them. Trends were noted for the subscales assertiveness, low involvement, participation, and bizarreness. Information processing, function of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and dreaming style, were reviewed. It is concluded that dreaming style differences are found between the two groups. The significance of dream research is that innovative treatment methods for common mental health issues are being implemented and are proving to exhibit benefits to the recipient. Hopefully, research will shed some light on the etiology of mental health disorders resulting in better treatment methods.

Characterization Of Cosmic Microwave Background Temperature Fluctuations For Cosmological Topologies Specified By Topological Betti Numbers, Troy Gobble

Masters Theses

The cosmic microwave background explorer, COBE, and the Balloon Observations of Millimetric Extragalactic Radiation and Geophysics, BOOMERanG, have collected data from the universe and detected relic anisotropies indicative of one of the earliest events of the universe, decoupling. Hidden in the correlation between these temperature fluctuations is the signature of the global shape, or topology, of the early universe. It is possible to calculate the temperature fluctuations as due to primeval adiabatic density temperature fluctuations from the Sachs-Wolfe effect, which contains a topological term. Here we investigate some of the spaces and how they affect the microwave background.

A large …

The Relationship Between Neurotic Perfectionism And Symptoms Of Eating Disorders In College-Age Women, Valerie L. Devillez

Masters Theses

This study was designed to examine the relationship between neurotic perfectionism and symptoms of eating disorders in college-age women. There is minimal published research addressing this relationship, and only one study has been conducted in which eating-disordered subjects were compared to non-eating-disordered subjects. Sixty-five female participants completed survey materials including the Eating Disorder Inventory-2 (EDI-2) and the Neurotic Perfectionism Questionnaire (NPQ.) Participants were recruited from the Pavilion, the Eastern Illinois University Counseling Center, and from introductory psychology classes at Eastern Illinois University. Results suggest that there is a direct relationship between neurotic perfectionism and symptoms of eating disorders in college-age …

The Effects Of Gender And Parental Marital Status On Late Adolescent Risk-Taking, Jeff Daugherty

Masters Theses

Risk taking behavior among the adolescent population has increased in recent years putting America's youth in danger of many detrimental outcomes. Many adolescents currently engage in behaviors that represent health risks as well as those that are potential criminal risk. This study attempted to assess late adolescent risk-taking as a function of gender and parental marital status. Similarly, the self-esteem of late adolescent participants was also measured within the contexts of gender and family status. This study provides partial support for the idea adolescents with divorced parents engage in a significantly greater amount of risk-taking behavior than those with married …

Current Trends In Psychological Testing, Kimberle L. S. Crawford

Masters Theses

Discussions about the adequacy of psychological measurement and assessment can quickly become controversial therefore; I expect some strong reaction to portions of this manuscript. Debates about the usefulness of criticism of psychological testing are longstanding: Even early psychologists such as Cattell and Jastrow disagreed on this issue. To be clear, I do not believe that use of contemporary tests should cease. I share the view that "psychological tests often provide the fairest and most accurate method of making important decisions" (K. R. Murphy & Davidshoffer, 1988, p. xii).

My first purpose, then, is to provide a historical survey of relevant …

The Effect Of Two States Of Hydration On Muscular Endurance In Men, Melissa L. Petrucci

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of two states of hydration has an effect on muscular endurance in men. Two groups of four men randomly assigned to each group participated in both states of hydration. Both groups were tested at baseline for height, weight, intra- and extra-cellular water, total body water, and a one-repetition maximum strength test. Subjects were then tested after a 24 hour period of water deprivation, and after a 24 hour period of normal water intake (8 ten oz glasses of water). A urine specific gravity test, intra- and extra-cellular water, total body …

Best Practices In Transition: A Descriptive Study Of A Rural High School Grades 9 Through 12, Michelle A. Messerli Bolander

Masters Theses

This study examined and determined the practices in transition that were currently being implemented, what transition opportunities were available, and which practices could be utilized at Litchfield High School during Fall 2000 to support a smoother transition from middle school to high school for ninth grade students with and without special needs. The study did not establish a relationship of cause and effect, but rather compared cases (administrators, special educators, and regular educators) through qualitative data that were supported by quantitative measures. The population surveyed consisted of the 33 teachers and 2 administrators at the high school level, with different …

The Effect Of Cross-Age Tutoring On Reading Attitude, Joshua John Quick

Masters Theses

One of the greatest challenges facing teachers of reading today is the negative attitude of students toward reading. One suggested means of positively influencing the reading attitude of students is cross-age tutoring. However, a study is needed to establish whether a clear link exists between cross-age tutoring and positive changes in reading attitude. Experimental research was conducted during the course of an academic quarter (nine weeks) to determine whether cross-age tutoring has a positive impact on reading attitude. The subjects of the study were first grade students (n=12). The first graders were identified for the study based on low scores …

Student Perceptions Of Campus Environment As It Relates To Their Own Experiences And Institutional Perspectives, Peter P. Smith

Masters Theses

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine students' perceptions of their campus environment, including the physical architecture, landscaping, and campus layout at a medium sized Midwestern public university. The study included student explanations of the photographs they took and a commentary on how they felt the campus environment impacted students. More specifically, this study describes these students' personal experiences on their college campus.

Methodology

The reflexive photographic method was used to gather the information directly from the study participants (Douglas, 1998). The reflexive photographic method was chosen because it was a way to directly observe the perceptions of …

Evaluation Of The Freshman Seminar Program At Eastern Illinois University And Its Perceived Impact On First-Year Student Development, Jennifer E. Donahoe

Masters Theses

This study examined the development of first-year college students at Eastern Illinois University in order to determine if student development was strengthened with the assistance of an eight-week Freshman Seminar course. Additionally, this study evaluated the fall semester, 1999 Freshman Seminar course in order to determine students' perceptions of the course and its content both at the start and completion of the course. The research population consisted of first-year students who were enrolled in Freshman Seminar (N = 303) and first-year students who were enrolled in an Introductory Speech Communications (SPC 1310) course, but not enrolled in Freshman Seminar (N …

Effect Of Antioxidants On Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (Uhmwpe), Clifford Schrader

Masters Theses

This thesis presents a study on the effects of antioxidants on the oxidative induction time (OIT), thermal behavior, and hardness property of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). The antioxidants were dissolved into methanol alcohol before the solution was mixed with UHMWPE powder. The mixture was degassed under vacuum, and then compression-molded into disks 1.25 in. in diameter.

Different antioxidants were evaluated at concentrations up to 0.6 percent. A 0.6 percent concentration was used to screen the effectiveness of various antioxidants. Effect of antioxidant concentration was investigated in the range between 0 and 0.6 percent. OIT was evaluated on UHMWPE …

Supporting Those That Make Us A Success: How Community Relations Programs Effect Individual Shopping Choices, Danielle R. Lafayette

Masters Theses

Community relations programs have become extremely popular within organizations over the past several years. This manuscript will take a closer look at how these community relations programs influence the decision's individuals make when determining which organizations they want to support. Through a case study analysis Wal-Mart's affiliation with the Children's Miracle Network was analyzed in order to determine why organizations do community relations programs and the effect they have on an individual's choice in which organizations they support. The study consisted of a systematic random sample of 342 Charleston/Mattoon and surrounding area residents. The results indicated individuals are looking for …

"Television And Reality: Are They Different?", Tammy L. Holmes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this paper is to discover if there is any significance between the images of television viewed by people and the increase of the social construction of reality. Stephen LittleJohn (1999) states, [Social construction of reality] consists of meanings and understanding arising from communication with others. This notion known as reality that is deeply embedded in sociological thought. The objective of this topic is to explore the effects that mass media have on life and specifically how television often distorts, and does not accurately communicate the everyday lived experiences in our lives. Television often mimics reality. Television only, …

Aggressive Communication, Parental Communication, And Sibling Communication, Kristi K. Eustice

Masters Theses

The family is often seen as the center of instruction for children and the base for learning communication patterns. Aggressive communication is often seen in the family, especially as a parenting method. In this thesis, the current state of available literature on aggressive communication in the family is examined. This includes parenting styles, communication relationships between one parent and one child, and the negative effects verbal aggressive communication has on children. A t-test is used to research the responses of 100 students who have verbally aggressive parents. At 2.59, the t-test supports the hypothesis that parenting communication styles concerning aggressiveness …

A Component Analysis Of Nondirective Play Therapy, Jane E. Wilson

Masters Theses

We evaluated the effects of nondirective play therapy on the inappropriate play of three developmentally normal children with conduct problems . Specifically, we examined the effects of attention (contingent vs noncontingent) and the play environment (enriched vs impoverished) using a reversal design. Our goal was to isolate one of these two variables as the primary effective component of nondirective play therapy for a particular child. For two subjects, attention remained contingent upon inappropriate play across conditions and the play environment was manipulated. Inappropriate play increased for one of these participants in an impoverished environment. For the third participant, an actual …

Social Support Among Women In Families: A Descriptive Study Of Support In Intergenerational Relationships, Gina L. Bauswell

Masters Theses

This study examines the effects of social support in intergenerational relationships among women in families. The research examines ethnography as a study, some of the benefits of research done in intergenerational communication, changes in this communication over the time span of the intergenerational relationships, the transmission of this communication, social support, the positive effects of the phenomenon of this type of communication for all those participating in this dynamic process, and the heuristic value of this research. The participants were forty women in my extended family, and this study is based upon their answers to a questionnaire and focus group …

Effects Of Guided Compliance On The Disruptive Behavior Of Two Students Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Nicole L. Weber

Masters Theses

The current study attempted to determine the effects of the environmental manipulations of partial task instruction, whole task instruction, and guided compliance on the disruptive behavior of two students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The participants included two elementary-aged students diagnosed with ADHD who were referred by their parent or legal guardian to a university-based summer assessment program. A functional analysis established that the disruptive behavior of both participants was motivated by contingent peer attention. Students were exposed to treatment conditions consisting of whole versus partial tasks as well as the guided compliance. While a single subject multi-element …

Elementary Teachers And School Psychologists Actual And Ideal Role Perceptions Of The School Psychologist, Blake E. Martin

Masters Theses

Survey materials included original questionnaires utilizing categories proposed by Rechsly and Wilson (1997) and a job satisfaction scale utilized by Rechsly and Wilson (1995), and a demographic data sheet. Psychologists in Illinois (n=87) and Illinois K-6 elementary teachers (n=100) were surveyed as to actual and ideal roles and functions of the school psychologist. In addition school psychologists were questioned about job satisfaction. Results indicated a great deal of discrepancy between actual and ideal role from both the viewpoints of psychologists and teachers. Teachers also demonstrated little understanding of the actual role and functions of psychologists in the schools. Job satisfaction …

Assessment Of Knowledge Regarding Three Popular Dietary Supplements: Chromium Picolinate, Creatine, And Androstenedione, Terry L. Williams Jr.

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Neural Network Methodology For Path Planning And Coordination Of Car-Like Robots, Prasanna Venkatesan Sadagopan

Masters Theses

"A car-like indoor mobile robot is a kinematically constrained robot that can be modeled as a 2D object translating and rotating in the horizontal plane among well- defined obstacles. The kinematic constraints impose that the linear velocity of the robot is along its main axis (no sideways motion is possible) and restrict the range of admissible values for the steering angle. The goal of this study is to combine neural network techniques and motion planning algorithms to create a new methodology for coordinating the motion of multiple car-like robots avoiding collision with polygonal obstacles in a work environment. An incremental …

Reconstitution And Characterization Of Membrane Proteins, Sarah Mia Pates

Masters Theses

“A membrane protein, cytochrome c reductase, was crystallized and examined using transmission electron microscopy. Two-dimensional crystals were prepared by two methods. In Method 1, the protein was solubilized in 50 mM Tris-Acetate (pH 6.0)/0.5 mM EDTA70.05% (w/v) Triton X-100 and reconstituted into a mixture of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylserine (4:1), dissolved in the same buffer. The Triton X-100 was removed from the mixture by dialysis in the presence of Bio-beads (SM-2) at approximately 25-30 °C. Method 2 was the same as Method 1, except that the vesicles were fractionated before reconstitution, and the pH and temperature for crystallization were 7.0 and …

Cellular Automata Study Of The Feasibility Of A Parallel Optical Computer, Jason Robert Lane

Masters Theses

"The speed of modern electronic computers has inherent design limitations which will soon be reached. A possible substitute is the optical computer. In this project, the feasibility of the optical computer is explored by designing and building a parallel optical system. This system is used to test the basic principles that would govern a parallel optical computer. The system is based on the principle of cellular automata, which is a simulation technique used to study interactions of objects in a system. The following goals were set. The system would be based on cellular automata. A one-dimensional array with nine cells, …