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Theses/Dissertations

1995

Theses : Honours

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Perceptions Of Control And Satisfaction With Hospital Birth Experiences For First-Time Mothers, Clelia Tedeschi Jan 1995

Perceptions Of Control And Satisfaction With Hospital Birth Experiences For First-Time Mothers, Clelia Tedeschi

Theses : Honours

Satisfaction with childbirth is associated with women's future emotional wellbeing. This study examined whether first- time mother's antenatal expectations, postnatal evaluations of control during labour and delivery, and the discrepancy between expectations and evaluations were significant predictors of women's satisfaction with their childbirth experiences. The effect of medical interventions (e.g., obstetrical interventions and pain relief medication) on women's perceptions of control and satisfaction was also examined. The purposive sample of eighty first-time mothers, mean age 26 years (excluding women who had caesareans) delivered at the public hospital where they attended antenatal classes. During their fourth antenatal class women completed a …


An Ada-Like Language To Facilitate Reliable Coding Of Low Cost Embedded Systems, Michael Collins Jan 1995

An Ada-Like Language To Facilitate Reliable Coding Of Low Cost Embedded Systems, Michael Collins

Theses : Honours

Due to a lack of operating system (0/S) support, it is more difficult to develop programs for embedded systems than for workstations. For those developing on a low budget, the problem is often further compounded by the necessity of using inappropriate, 0/S dependent, compilers. This study attempts to ascertain those elements of a High Level Language (HLL) which are absolutely necessary and implementable to produce reliable, efficient, embedded programs without the benefit of a large budget. The study is based upon the Ada philosophy as the Ada language incorporates many desirable features for modelling real-world problems in terms of embedded …


Influence Of The Label Intellectual Disability On Trainee Disability Service Providers' Impressions, Dianne Rosemary Mckillop Jan 1995

Influence Of The Label Intellectual Disability On Trainee Disability Service Providers' Impressions, Dianne Rosemary Mckillop

Theses : Honours

Labels can be identifiers of deviance from social norms and values as well as cognitive heuristics. Labelling theory proposes that deviancy labels create a perception of a stereotypical master status (Becker, 1963), which biases perceivers' impressions. The master status principle of labelling theory is analogous to the schema-based models of impression formation proposed by social psychology. The opposing view is that individual characteristics influence social perception to a greater extent than labels. The present study investigated the master status prediction of labelling theory using a social psychological framework. Empirical and theoretical evidence suggests that the perceptions of the people who …


Localisation Of The Gene For A Novel Form Of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease In An Isolated Population, Kaite Honeyman Jan 1995

Localisation Of The Gene For A Novel Form Of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease In An Isolated Population, Kaite Honeyman

Theses : Honours

Localising the gene for a previously undescribed autosomal recessive form of CMT involved the use of a relatively new approach to rapid genome screening based on the identification of segments which are inherited identical by descent (IBD) from common founding ancestors. It is most feasible for populations which have been founded relatively recently (say less than 25 generations) and which have remained relatively isolated either geographically or culturally. The method is not suitable for highly inbred populations, that is with first and second cousin matings, as many segments will be inherited by chance. It appears to be a suitable screening …


Proline Concentration As An Indicator Of The Level Of Salt Tolerance, Philomena Y. Rosalie Jan 1995

Proline Concentration As An Indicator Of The Level Of Salt Tolerance, Philomena Y. Rosalie

Theses : Honours

Each year approximately 20 million hectares of land become affected by increasing salinity. Salt tolerant plants are being used to rehabilitate salt affected areas. Plants use a variety of mechanisms to adapt to salt in their environments. Glycophytes tolerate low to moderate levels of salt while halophytes can tolerate very high salt levels. Many basic physiological attributes have been suggested as important components of a salt tolerant phenotype. These include, influx and/or efflux of ions across plasma membrane and the tonoplast, modification of membrane composition and synthesis of compatible solutes such as soluble carbohydrates, glycine betaines and proline. The project …


Is There A Difference In Cortical Representation Between Dominant And Non-Dominant Arm Muscles Of Elite Badminton Players?, Dylan J. Edwards Jan 1995

Is There A Difference In Cortical Representation Between Dominant And Non-Dominant Arm Muscles Of Elite Badminton Players?, Dylan J. Edwards

Theses : Honours

Training for sport involves the development of skill and coordination. The physiological changes associated with skill acquisition are complex and at present poorly understood. One of the areas in the central nervous system thought to be involved with skill acquisition is the cerebral motor cortex where localised areas are responsible for controlling specific muscle groups. Learning or improving a motor skill may require reorganisation of the cortical areas controlling relevant muscles to accommodate the new skill. To test this idea we studied a group of elite badminton players that were highly skilled in their dominant playing arm. Transcranial magnetic stimulation …


Problem Solving Of Children With Intellectual Disabilities: Interrogative Strategies And Solution Time Rates, Sonya Barrett Jan 1995

Problem Solving Of Children With Intellectual Disabilities: Interrogative Strategies And Solution Time Rates, Sonya Barrett

Theses : Honours

Possible differences in problem solving abilities between children with intellectual disabilities and regular class children were studied. A comparison was made between the children with intellectual disabilities and regular class children of comparable developmental level (mental age). The children with intellectual disabilities were also compared with regular class children of comparable chronological age. Subjects completed a preliminary task to determine mastery of the required skills before attempting an experimental problem solving game. The game required subjects to ask questions in order to achieve a problem solution. Each subject's level of motivation to solve the problem was also measured using a …


The Effect Of A Direct Instruction Motor Development Program On The Catching Performance Of Pre-Primary Children, Matt Osborne Jan 1995

The Effect Of A Direct Instruction Motor Development Program On The Catching Performance Of Pre-Primary Children, Matt Osborne

Theses : Honours

The number of pre-school programs and children attending pre-schools has been rapidly increasing in recent years. The emphasis placed on instruction in physical education and the benefits to be derived from such instruction at the pre-school level have not been directly addressed in the literature. This study examined the effects of a six week direct instruction motor development program on the quantitative and qualitative development of the fundamental motor skill of catching. The participants were four and five year old children who attended a government pre-school attached to a metropolitan primary school. Two children of high gross motor ability and …


Student Attitudes To Their Roles And Responsibilities Within A Sport Education Curriculum Model In Physical Education, A. Sadler Jan 1995

Student Attitudes To Their Roles And Responsibilities Within A Sport Education Curriculum Model In Physical Education, A. Sadler

Theses : Honours

Sport education is one of the six curriculum models in physical education described by Siedentop, Mand and Taggart (1986). Sport education is a student centered curriculum model whereby students take on the specific roles of management board of control, captain/coach, first aid officer, advertising/publicity officer as well as player. It is the social interaction of students within these roles that is the key to the potential success of the model. Research suggests that many students have unfavourable attitudes towards the dominant curriculum model currently being used in physical education in most Western Australian schools, while on the other hand, many …


Video Coding For Bit Rates 64kbps And Below, Geoffrey N. Alagoda Jan 1995

Video Coding For Bit Rates 64kbps And Below, Geoffrey N. Alagoda

Theses : Honours

With digital motion video for either transmission or storage, there always exists a trade-off between the data transmission rate and the picture quality. The lower the transmission bit-rate is made, the more the quality of the image tends to degrade. With usual transform coding schemes the degradation usually occurs when low bit-rates, that is less than about 64Kbps, are used. The resultant image tends to suffer visually from a ''blocking" effect. This thesis therefore, is based on the development of a different implementation scheme, for motion video compression or encoding, so as to support both low bit-rates, around 64Kbps or …


Domestic Violence: Service Providers' Perceptions Of Factors Affecting Women's Decision To Leave Abusive Relationships, Anne I. Walters Jan 1995

Domestic Violence: Service Providers' Perceptions Of Factors Affecting Women's Decision To Leave Abusive Relationships, Anne I. Walters

Theses : Honours

Review of research conducted into woman abuse indicates there was an emphasis on questions looking at why women stayed in abusive relationships. Little or no research was specifically designed to answer questions about how women leave abusive relationships or determine the salient factors involved. The literature review also highlighted the importance of services and service providers because women who had experienced abuse would seek help and Knight and Hatty (1992) found that the quality of help received determined their future responses. Kurz and Stark (1988) found that workers' perceptions about woman abuse influenced how workers responded to the women seeking …


Strategy, Perceived Environmental Uncertainty, Management Accounting Systems And Performance: An Empirical Investigation, Kar Ming Chong Jan 1995

Strategy, Perceived Environmental Uncertainty, Management Accounting Systems And Performance: An Empirical Investigation, Kar Ming Chong

Theses : Honours

This thesis is an empirical examination of the role of strategic business unit (SBU) strategy and perceived environmental uncertainty (PEU) en the relations between 'management accounting systems (MAS) design and SBU performance. Two extreme strategic postures of Miles and Snow's typology were used in this study. They were prospector and defender. MAS design was defined in terms of the extent to which managers' use of broad scope MAS information characteristics for decision making; A survey research methodology was used in this study. The responses of 62 SBU managers, drawn from a cross-section of manufacturing companies in Western Australia, were used …


The Optimisation Of Nitrogen Content For Micropropagation Of Eucalyptus Marginata, Andrew James Woodward Jan 1995

The Optimisation Of Nitrogen Content For Micropropagation Of Eucalyptus Marginata, Andrew James Woodward

Theses : Honours

The use of eucalypts for plantation timber and pulp is becoming increasingly important, as are eucalypts that are resistant to disease and insect herbivory. Where clones with desirable traits have been selected, it is important that these genotypes are preserved. Micropropagation of some eucalypts, and Eucalyptus marginata in particular, can be difficult possibly due to the currently used basal medium of Murashige and Skoog (M&S)(I 962). By examining the nitrogen utilisation and the effects of medium pH of this species, it may be possible to improve general micropropagation protocol. Six clones of the species E. marginata were obtained as shoot …


Postdischarge Surveillance Of Surgical Wound Infection By Telephone Interview, Robyn Taverner Jan 1995

Postdischarge Surveillance Of Surgical Wound Infection By Telephone Interview, Robyn Taverner

Theses : Honours

Many postoperative wound infections are not being detected by traditional methods of surveillance of hospital acquired infections, due to decreasing length of hospital stay Unless some form of postdischarge surveillance is undertaken, rates of hospital acquired infections will he underestimated. While Infection Control Practitioners are aware of this problem, implementation of postdischarge surveillance is hampered by lack of research into suitable cost-effective methods. This study describes the implementation and feasibility of postdischarge surveillance by telephone interview and compares rates of infection in a private hospital before and after discharge. During a five month period a systematic sample of 300 clients …


The Effect Of Eccentric And Concentric Training On The Size And Strength Of Human Skeletal Muscle, Haydn J. N. Mcdonald Jan 1995

The Effect Of Eccentric And Concentric Training On The Size And Strength Of Human Skeletal Muscle, Haydn J. N. Mcdonald

Theses : Honours

The objective of this study was to determine if the high forces generated through eccentric contractions, and the subsequent damage sustained, contributes to greater growth and force increase in human skeletal muscle than other contraction types, and whether damage from eccentric exercise effects the increase in torque and muscle size expected after a progressive concentric strength training program. 20 healthy subjects were split into four groups which participated in 3 different training protocols, with one group serving as the control (C). Groups underwent either concentric training (CT), eccentric damage (ED), or a combination of the two protocols (DC) with the …


Long Term Restoration Of Peak Torque, Endurance And Muscle Activation Post Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Darryl Alan Turner Jan 1995

Long Term Restoration Of Peak Torque, Endurance And Muscle Activation Post Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction, Darryl Alan Turner

Theses : Honours

In recent years, Accelerated Rehabilitation (A.R.) protocols have been used following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (A.C.L.) reconstructions, the longer term effects of these programs are seldom analysed. This study examined musculoskeletal mechanisms that might affect long term functional restoration, the control subjects (n = 19) of mixed age and gender, had no previous knee deficiencies and were recreationally fit. The experimental subjects (n = 17) had undergone intra-articular A.C.L reconstruction, using bone patellar-tendon bone grafts performed by the same surgeon and had also participated in the A.R. protocol, similar to that described by Shelbourne and Nitz (1990). The experimental group attended …


Transhipment Problem, Salt Exportation, Brian Hogben Jan 1995

Transhipment Problem, Salt Exportation, Brian Hogben

Theses : Honours

In order to improve its shipping operations a major salt exporter needs to reduce costs, increase market share and improve customer service. This thesis examines the use of linear (LP) and nonlinear programming (NLP) as a means of solving a nonlinear transhipment problem associated with the export of salt. Tho feasibility of using a LP or NLP approach is explored, taking into consideration the computational time and useability of the models. To meet the demands of their customers the company currently uses heuristic methods to allocate varying size ships to different routes. To remain competitive the shipping options that are …


Perceptions Of Lower Secondary Design And Technology Teachers About The Utilisation Of The Design Process, Desire Mallet Jan 1995

Perceptions Of Lower Secondary Design And Technology Teachers About The Utilisation Of The Design Process, Desire Mallet

Theses : Honours

This study investigated the perceptions of lower secondary school teachers about the utilisation of a design process. Seven Design and Technology teachers from government and private secondary schools, situated in Perth metropolitan area, were selected. The participants have been using a design process in lower secondary school for at least eighteen months prior to the study. Each participant was interviewed individually and the interviews were audio-recorded. The Education Department of Western Australia considers a design process as a central element in the Technology and Enterprise learning area of the Student Outcome Statements. However, not much is known about how this …


Equity Theory Predictions Of The Effects Of Participation In Justice Or Police Studies On The Promotional Expectations Of Members Of The Western Australian Police Force, William J. Boaks Jan 1995

Equity Theory Predictions Of The Effects Of Participation In Justice Or Police Studies On The Promotional Expectations Of Members Of The Western Australian Police Force, William J. Boaks

Theses : Honours

Before 1988 police in this State were promoted solely on seniority. No university courses for officers existed locally and education played little part in promotion. Promotion is now on the basis of merit and Edith Cowan University conducts courses in Police and Justice Studies. This study investigates possible links between the factors of higher education and merit based promotion. Predictions of student officers' of the benefits of higher education, organisational commitment and various aspects of non-promotion were examined by use of a questionnaire. The results showed that student officers placed a higher value on education for basic police work and …


Difficulties Experienced By Year 10 Students When Solving Monohybrid Autosomal And X-Linked Genetic Problems, Christina Williams Jan 1995

Difficulties Experienced By Year 10 Students When Solving Monohybrid Autosomal And X-Linked Genetic Problems, Christina Williams

Theses : Honours

Genetics is an important aspect of secondary education as it improves students, understanding of the inheritance of genetic diseases which are present in many families. Genetics also provides opportunities for students to learn important problem solving skills. Students experience difficulties with problem solving in genetics as they tend to rote learn algorithmic methods and not have a meaningful understanding of the concepts of meiosis, gametes and fertilisation which underpin genetics problems. Following instruction in the area of genetics, think-aloud protocols were collected from 20 Year 10 students, while solving four genetic problems. The students were also interviewed to probe their …


Implementation And Evaluation Of Enhanced Areal Interpolation Using Mapinfo And Mapbasic, Gordon Wragg Jan 1995

Implementation And Evaluation Of Enhanced Areal Interpolation Using Mapinfo And Mapbasic, Gordon Wragg

Theses : Honours

Many researchers today have a need to analyse data in a spatial context. An inherent problem is the mismatch of boundaries between the geographic regions for which data is collected and those regions for which the data is required. Often the solution is to interpolate data from one set of regions to another. This project examines and implements a method of areal interpolation that enables the user to use extra information in areal interpolation to increase the "intelligence ' of the process. This method of Enhanced Areal Interpolation uses a conditional Poisson distribution and the EM algorithm to provide estimated …


You Put Your Life On The Line: Young People's Experiences Of Disclosing Sexual Abuse And/Or Sexual Assault, Robin Walshe Jan 1995

You Put Your Life On The Line: Young People's Experiences Of Disclosing Sexual Abuse And/Or Sexual Assault, Robin Walshe

Theses : Honours

This research comes as a response to young people's concern about the availability of appropriate services for young people seeking assistance in reclaiming their lives after experiencing sexual abuse and/or sexual assault. In order to understand what young people felt were appropriate services, it was first necessary to understand what happened when they disclosed to someone that they had been sexually abused or sexually assaulted. Qualitative feminist interview research techniques were used to ask seven young women "What happened when you disclosed to someone you had been sexually abused/assaulted?" The information given by the young women revealed that: the pre-disclosure …


Practice Nurses And Hepatitis B : Preventative Actions And Their Relationship To Health Beliefs, Helen Le Sueur Jan 1995

Practice Nurses And Hepatitis B : Preventative Actions And Their Relationship To Health Beliefs, Helen Le Sueur

Theses : Honours

Hepatitis B is a major, largely undiagnosed disease in the community and nurses working in doctors' surgeries (practice nurses) undertake many clinical tasks which may expose them to the Hepatitis B virus. Using the Health Belief Model as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this correlational-descriptive study was to determine what actions are taken, by practice nurses in Western Australia to protect themselves against Hepatitis B, and to what extent their health beliefs contribute to those actions. A response rate of 59% (118) was obtained from an anonymous, confidential questionnaire sent to a random sample of 200 practice nurses in …


Identifying The Difficulties Experienced By Year 10 High School Students When Attempting To Solve Genetic Pedigree Problems, Richard Hamilton-Brown Jan 1995

Identifying The Difficulties Experienced By Year 10 High School Students When Attempting To Solve Genetic Pedigree Problems, Richard Hamilton-Brown

Theses : Honours

Teachers rate genetics as one of the most difficult biology topics for high school students to understand (Finley, Stewart & Yarroch, 1982). It has been observed that some students are able to solve genetics problems using routine algorithmic methods, without understanding the basic underlying concepts (Stewart, 1982). The aim of this study was to identify the procedural errors and conceptual misunderstandings that the students had when attempting to solve genetic pedigree problems. Genetic pedigrees are diagrammatic representations of the members and ancestral relationships in a family (Cummings, 1991). Two male and two female students were selected from each of four …


A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Inquiry-Oriented Teaching With Traditional Teaching In The Maldives, K. Ibrahim-Didi Jan 1995

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of Inquiry-Oriented Teaching With Traditional Teaching In The Maldives, K. Ibrahim-Didi

Theses : Honours

This thesis compares the effectiveness of an activity-based, inquiry oriented approach using simple, inexpensive, locally available equipment with a traditional approach, in enhancing student achievement and positive attitudes towards science in the Maldives. The sample consisted of 79 boys range from 13 to 16 years of age from two year eight classes in a private lower secondary high school. A quasi experimental non equivalent control group research design was adopted for the study. The control group was taught the currently existent curriculum for two weeks in the traditional manner while the treatment group was taught using a curriculum package developed …


Immunisation Delay In The 0-18 Month Age Group In The Kimberley Region Of Western Australia, Anne Mahony Jan 1995

Immunisation Delay In The 0-18 Month Age Group In The Kimberley Region Of Western Australia, Anne Mahony

Theses : Honours

In two separate complementary exploratory descriptive studies the cover and timing of vaccine administration to children in the 0-18 month age group in the remote Kimberley Region of Western Australia were quantified, and reasons for delay in vaccine administration were investigated. The adapted PRECEDE model was used to guide the research and to integrate and interpret the findings. Study One: Three separate computer immunisation databases were combined to provide the first validated age-appropriate infant immunisation data in Western Australia. For the first time in WA, the timing of administration of vaccines was investigated, and for the first time in Australia, …


Reasons Given By Year 9 Girls For The Non-Selection Of Outdoor Education In A Selected Government School, Janene Walton Jan 1995

Reasons Given By Year 9 Girls For The Non-Selection Of Outdoor Education In A Selected Government School, Janene Walton

Theses : Honours

This study focuses on the reasons why fewer girls than boys are selecting outdoor education units in Year 9 in a selected government secondary school in Perth, Western Australia. Outdoor education has attracted increasing enrolments across all years since units were introduced at lower school level in 1987. However the percentage of girls enrolling has declined over the same period. The participation rate for Years 9 to 12 has consistently been about two times greater for boys than for girls. The study utilised group interviews as a means of data collection to document the girls' reasons for not selecting Outdoor …


Eccentrically Induced Skeletal Muscle Damage In Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Cfs), With Reference To Overtrained Athletes, David L. Wright Jan 1995

Eccentrically Induced Skeletal Muscle Damage In Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Cfs), With Reference To Overtrained Athletes, David L. Wright

Theses : Honours

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and Overtraining syndrome (OTS) are separate, complex conditions which have so many similar debilitating effects that it has led some researchers to conclude that OTS is a sub-condition of CFS. The purpose of this research was to compare the force and damage-recovery characteristics of skeletal muscle in CFS patients and control normals, after a single damaging bout of eccentric contractions in the non-dominant forearm flexors. The subjects ( n = 25 ), a convenience sample were assigned to three groups; [I] CFS + eccentric damage (n = 8), [2] Control Damage (CD)+ eccentric damage (n = …


The Effects Of Strategy Instruction On The Vocabulary Acquisition And Reading Comprehension Of Grade Five Students, Michelle Gurry Jan 1995

The Effects Of Strategy Instruction On The Vocabulary Acquisition And Reading Comprehension Of Grade Five Students, Michelle Gurry

Theses : Honours

Two studies were conducted to examine the effects of specified teaching strategies on vocabulary acquisition and reading comprehension. Two methods were used to teach Grade 5 students to infer word meanings from context. The first was based on regular methods that occur within primary classrooms. The second involved a detailed strategy that gave students a step-by-step guide to deriving word meanings from context. Both groups were pretested and posttested with a developed vocabulary acquisition test and the Progressive Achievement Test of reading comprehension. A four-factor ANOVA with repeated measures was used to test the hypotheses. The first study showed no …


Foraging Preferences Of The Introduced Honeybee In Winter Flowering Banksia Woodland : Implications For The Management Of Flora And Fauna Of Conservation Areas, Simon Lawrence Judd Jan 1995

Foraging Preferences Of The Introduced Honeybee In Winter Flowering Banksia Woodland : Implications For The Management Of Flora And Fauna Of Conservation Areas, Simon Lawrence Judd

Theses : Honours

The Honeybee (Apis mellifcra) is arguably Australia's most abundant feral animal, and relatively little is known about its interactions with the Australian biota. A lack of such information makes it difficult for the managers of nature conservation areas to decide whether beekeeping is appropriate and whether attempts should be made to control feral bees. This study made observations of feral honeybees and native pollinating invertebrates for one hundred and twelve hours, at fifteen sites in Banksia woodland, between July 27 and September 10, 1995. Flowering and preflowering invertebrate assemblages of Leucopogon polymorphus, an epacrid shrub which provided …