Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of Expertise And Information Relevance On Information Search Strategy., Jason Lebsack

Student Work

Differences between experts and novices have been the focus of a variety of studies throughout the psychological literature. In general, task outcome differences have been found between experts and novices, but further study is needed to understand the mechanism for explaining these outcome differences. This study investigated taskprocessing differences between experts and novices, specifically, the use of relevant and irrelevant information. Forty human resource professionals served as experts and 40 undergraduate students served as novices in this study. Participants made two hiring decisions. Using an information board format, participants examined eight attributes across six candidates for the job of museum …

Repercussions Of The Dawes Act: Leasing, Citizenship And Jurisdiction On The Omaha And Winnebago Reservations, 1887-1896, Matthew J. Krezenski

Student Work

The General Allotment Act, or Dawes Severalty Act, passed in 1887, had terrible repercussions for the Native American. Although the negative effects of the Act were widespread across the entire country, the separate impacts on individual reservations varied. On the Omaha and Winnebago Reservations in northeastern Nebraska, the Indians faced an entirely new range of problems after allotment, problems which continue to complicate the lives of residents even today. Whites not only purchased “surplus” lands, but also sought to appropriate the allotted land through dubious leasing schemes. The citizenship clause in the Dawes Act was particularly perplexing. Ostensibly, the Act …

E-Commerce, Its Technology, And Implementation, Bin Shu

Student Work

Electronic commerce refers to business activities involving consumers, manufacturers, service provider, and intermediaries using computer networks such as the Internet. The goals of e-commerce are to reduce product and service cost and improved customer response time and quality. Hence implementing initiatives in electronic commerce has emerged as a significant business strategy in the Information Age. Technological developments made possible by the convergence of the telecommunication and computing industries have opened the door to a world of new and exciting application that are changing the way business is conducted. A large number of businesses of all sizes have either begun to …

The Miss America Pageant's Influence On The Self-Construction Of Its 1985 Contestants, Debra Deitering Maddox

Student Work

The author was a contestant in the 1985 Miss America Pageant, choosing to research how participants of that event made sense of their participation and how that participation affected their construction of themselves. Eleven state representatives were interviewed, including the winning Miss America and her 2nd and 4th runners-up. Interviewees were chosen upon consideration of region represented and final placement. This qualitative study utilized a semi-structured style of interviewing and protocol of 15 questions. Contestants’ narratives were analyzed within the frameworks of objectification theory and patriarchy. Results indicated that making sense of the Miss America experience could be a lengthy …

Effect Of Life Skills Training With Male Youth Who Are Prone To Aggression, Sarah Skradski

Student Work

The effect of life skills training in reducing aggressive behaviors was researched with seven subjects in a residential treatment facility. The subjects were between the ages of 10-15 and prone to aggression. The subjects had been diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Impulse Control Disorder, and/or Conduct Disorder. The seven subjects’ aggressive behaviors were assessed using the excessive aggression sub-scale on the Burks’ Behavior Rating Scale. Four full-time staff members completed the Burks’ Behavior Rating Scale three times over a 16-week period of time, observing the subjects’ behaviors with and without the life skills training. The results from the paired-dependent samples …

A Study Of Resources And Support Needed For Families Of Students Receiving Special Education Services., Janis Christine Norgaard

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to identify the use of resources and support needed by families of children with disabilities. The study also examined the perceptions of importance regarding resources and support by families of children with disabilities, the relationship of size of the school district and use and perceptions of importance of resources and the relationships of time since initial identification of the child's disability and the use and perceptions of importance of resources and support. This quantitative study used Hornby' s (1975) theoretical model for parental involvement for the development of a survey that was administered to …

The Effect Of Teaching Techniques On The Perception Of Effort As A Causal Attribute For Success Or Failure In Beginning Band., Gail R. Carpenter-Johnson

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of teaching techniques on perceptions of causal attributes among low socioeconomic students enrolled in beginning band classes. Intact-classes at four schools (N=42) were given a twenty-item survey that was designed to identify one of four factors (effort, ability, task difficulty and luck) as a perceived attribute for success in beginning band. Over a period of six weeks, subjects (N=21) in the treatment group received 30 minutes of instruction. Within that time frame, 10 minutes utilized teaching techniques designed to focus on the attribute of effort. Subjects (N=21) in the control …

Age Structure, Species Composition And Succession In A Loess Hills Woodland., Peter Christian Phillips

Student Work

The Loess Hills of central North America is a unique geologic region that historically was dominated by prairie with scattered oak trees in an environment of frequent fires. Following European settlement, woody-plant cover expanded throughout the Loess Hills so that today, existing prairies occur as remnants surrounded by an oak-dominated woodland. Large-, intermediate-, and small-sized trees were sampled along three adjacent lowland-to-upland belt-transects in western Iowa to document more accurately the dynamics of this woody expansion. Trees were cored or cross-sectioned and dated using standard dendrochronological techniques. Results characterize the pre-1850 woody canopy as consisting of a few widely scattered …

Lichens Of The Ponderosa Pine Forests Of Nebraska., Sara M. Morgan

Student Work

Nebraska has five main pine forest regions dominated by Pinus ponderosa Laws, with other small naturally forested areas scattered in pockets across the state (Kaul & Rolfsmeier 1993). Three of these main forest areas occur naturally: the Pine Ridge in northwestern Nebraska, the Wildcat Hills south of the city of Scottsbluff, and the Niobrara River Valley in the north-central portion of the state. These three natural coniferous forest communities are similar in having gentle to steep slopes, well-drained sandy soils, and sandstone outcrops (Steinauer & Rolfsmeier 2000). The Pine Ridge area in Dawes, Sheridan, and Sioux counties is the largest …

Investigating Trust In The Mentoring Relationship: The Beginning Teacher's Perspective, Nancy Ann Edick

Student Work

The focus of this dissertation was to investigate the beginning teacher's perspective on trust in the mentor-beginning teacher relationship. This was a qualitative study rooted in grounded theory modified to accommodate the use of received theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). The investigative framework was based on two received theories, and each theory formed the foundation for the following research questions: (1) Gabarro's (1978) theory predicts that work place trust in an associate will be affected by her perceptions of the associate's character, competence, and judgment. Is this true in the case of the beginning teachers as they do or do …

Performance -Based Assessment: Teacher Perceptions Of Implementation And Related Potential Outcomes, Gary Martin Shudak

Student Work

The purposes of this study were to determine: (a) whether and to what extent teachers' perceptions of a district-wide performance-based student assessment program (PBA) correlated with teacher demographics (sex, age, years in the district, years teaching, regular or special education, grade level/subject area taught, elementary or secondary assignment, year of undergraduate degree, and highest level of education attained); (b) whether and to what extent teachers' perceptions of the implementation of PBA correlated with their perceptions of PBA's effects on teaching behaviors, professional identity, relationships with others in the profession, and student achievement; (c) the extent to which teachers felt the …

The Current Training Practices And Perceived Training Needs Of Paraprofessionals In Special Education Programs In Nebraska, Enid Ann Schonewise

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the current training practices for paraprofessionals as perceived by building administrators, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals in special education programs in the state of Nebraska, (b) the perceived training needs of paraprofessionals, as viewed by building administrators, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals, (c) the differences that exist between current training practices and perceived training needs of paraprofessionals and the differences that exist in perceptions of building administrators, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals, and (d) the changes that have occurred in training practices since 1982.

Surprise And Sense-Making: The Organizational Socialization Of First -Year Teachers In Intermediate Grades Four Through Six, Kathleen Joanne Daley Peterson

Student Work

This qualitative dissertation study used grounded theory methodology modified to accept received theory to examine organizational and professional socialization as experienced by a group of ten first-year teachers in grades four through six. Stage model theory and surprise and sense-making theory supplied the study's conceptual framework. The first-year teachers were interviewed three times during the 2000–2001 school year to identify elements of their organizational socialization experience.

Cmm And Cmmi: A Comparison And Evaluation Of The Benefits Of Integrated Approach., Raghunath Shapkota

Student Work

Model based process improvement involves the use of a model to guide the improvement of an organization’s processes. Essentially, process capability is the inherent ability of a process to produce planned results. As the capability of a process increases, it becomes predictable and measurable, and the most significant cause of poor quality and productivity are controlled or eliminated. By steadily improving its process capability, the organization matures. One means of achieving this focus has been the use of a capability model. Models provide a common set of process requirements that capture best practice and practical knowledge in a format that …

Adjustment Personality Trait And The Process Of Grieving Among Parents Who Have Had Children Die Of Sids, Agnes Melissa Ibanez

Student Work

The research examines emotional adjustment personality trait as related to intensity of grief experienced by parents who have had a child die of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). The NEO-Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) neuroticism scale measured emotional adjustment trait, and Perinatal Grief Scale (PGS) measured grief intensity. Thirty-three participants from 18 states were recruited via SIDS Alliance and SIDS Network websites. Results supported the hypothesis that there is a direct significant correlation between emotional adjustment and grief experiences. Other results showed that grief intensity was inversely correlated with years since child’s death, conscientiousness, and extraversion. Conscientiousness was found to directly …

Do Teacher Opinion Leaders Impact Other Teachers, Annette Eyman

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were identified opinion leaders among teachers and how those opinion leaders may have influenced teachers’ acceptance levels of the standards and assessment implementation for the language arts curriculum. Three phases of research were conducted. Twenty-four secondary language arts teachers and 109 elementary classroom teachers in the Papillion-LaVista School District were first surveyed to determine their level of acceptance of the standards and assessments for language arts. Each of the respondents was then asked to identify the opinion leaders, or those they turn to and trust regarding the standards and assessment …

The Role Of Small And Medium Enterprises In The Economy Of Slovakia, Jaroslav Kling

Student Work

The aim of this paper is to analyze the role of small and medium enterprises in the economy of Slovakia. The changes of 1989 brought about the changes of society and economy as well. In the period of transformation of the Slovak economy, small and medium enterprises have been often considered to be a critical element of economic revival. The study answers to what extent this expectation has been met. Legal and institutional frameworks of the small and medium enterprises development are analyzed. Popular attitudes toward entrepreneurs, views and opinions of the key representatives of entrepreneurs and state representatives are …

A Quantitative Analysis Of The High School Department Head Role In Teacher Evaluation, Instructional Improvement, Curriculum Development, And Student Performance Standards, John Thomas James

Student Work

The purpose of this study was to ascertain what relationships exist between a variety of departmental variables and the role of the department head. Data was collected from department heads in the 56 largest secondary schools in Nebraska during the 1994–95 school year using a 66-item survey containing yes/no, open response, and scaled response questions.

The Moderating Role Of Trust On The Relationship Between Ingratiatory Communication Strategies And Interactional Fairness, Erik Drafsten

Student Work

Previous research has shown that when perceptions of both procedural justice and distributive justice are low, increasing perceptions of interactional fairness can serve to reduce negative consequences that an organization may face, including subtle forms of retaliation, or what are known as organizational retaliatory behaviors (ORB). In an organizational setting personal attempts to improve perceptions of interactional fairness, under conditions of low distributive and procedural justice, can take on ingratiatory-like qualities when the source attempting to boost these perceptions of interactional fairness uses flattery, expresses excessive empathy, or excessive sympathy. Research has shown that ingratiatory actions such as these become …

Work Family Policies And Perceptions Of Fairness: Perspectives On Supervisor Support And Work Schedule Control, Emily R. Blodgett

Student Work

In response to increasing degrees o f work and family conflict, some companies have implemented work and family policies. However, evidence suggests that many companies will not implement work and family policies because they believe that some employees will feel that the policies are unfair, although this claim has been made with only minimal empirical evidence. This study examined employees’ fairness perceptions of work/family policies. It was hypothesized that employees who might benefit from a work/family policy would feel that the policy was more fair than would employees who would not benefit from such a policy. To test this hypothesis, …

Children's Attitudes Toward Persons With Disabilities: A Comparison Of Rural And Urban Schools., Angela D. Williams

Student Work

Several individuals need to be acknowledged for their help with this project_ First and foremost, I would like to sincerely thank Melissa Hall and Kelly Branecki. Without their help in data collection, this project would not have been completed. The 5:00 a.m. trip and five-hour drive demonstrated their enthusiasm and dedication to this project. I would also like to thank the administrators who allowed their schools to participate in my study. Additional thanks goes to my committee members, Dr. Robert Woody, Dr. John Hill, and Dr. Hans Langner for their help and feedback. In addition, my advisor, Dr. Lisa Kelly-Vance …

A Comparative Study Of Leadership Behaviors Of Principals From High And Low Socio-Economic Elementary Public Schools In Nebraska, Marilou Niemeyer

Student Work

This study examined the differences, if any, between leadership behaviors of elementary principals from low and high socio-economic schools as defined by the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch schedule. A total of 80 principals with at least one year of experience were asked to participate in this study, a sampling of 40 principals from high socio-economic schools in Nebraska and a sampling of 40 principals from low socio-economic schools in Nebraska as measured by the Federal Free and Reduced Lunch Program.

A New Approach To Clustering Biological Data Using Message Passing., Huimin Geng

Student Work

Motivation: Clustering algorithms are widely used m bioinformatics, having been applied to a range of problems from the analysis of gene expression to the building of phylogenetic trees. Biological data often describe parallel and spontaneous processes such as molecular interactions and genome evolution. To capture these features, we propose a new clustering algorithm that employs the concept of message passing. Methods: Inspired by a real-world situation in which people who have never met can form groups by exchanging messages, Message Passing Clustering (MPC) allows data objects to communicate with each other and produces clusters in parallel, thereby making the clustering …

The Impact Of Communication Medium And Outcome Severity On The Effectiveness Of Social Accounts, Peter D. Timmerman

Student Work

The present study was designed as a partial test of the model of social accounts by Folger and Cropanzano (1998). Organizational justice researchers have shown that social accounts are effective in reducing negative reactions and displacing blame from the decision-maker following a harmful decision. Using a 2 x 3 completely randomized design, the study examined the effects of outcome severity and media choice on four types of fairness perceptions, medium appropriateness, anger, and turnover intentions. A temporary pay cut scenario was used to manipulate two levels of outcome severity, and the company president provided an explanation of the pay cut …

Eleanor Of Aquitaine: The Woman Behind The Character In James Goldman's The Lion In Winter, Charleen J. B. Willoughby

Student Work

This paper explores the development of the character Eleanor of Aquitaine in James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter. The first chapter provides a brief survey of the major changes and the trends of the twelfth century which might have had an impact on the life of the historical Eleanor. A brief sketch of the major events in her life which are referenced in Goldman’s script follow, including: her family history, her marriage to Louis VI of France, the Second Crusade, scandal, divorce, her second marriage to Henry II of England, the fruitfulness of their union, Henry’s infidelity with Rosamund Clifford, …

Making Organizational Punishment Work: The Effects Of Social Accounts And Punishment Severity, Andrew L. Noon

Student Work

Punishment continues to be used by organizations as one method to eliminate unwanted employee behaviors. Bennett (1998) argued that managers must be aware of two aspects of the punishment situation: (a) the punishment intensity and (b) the negative consequences of the punishment. Previous research indicates that strong punishments are most effective at changing unwanted behaviors, but strong punishments are also more prone to producing negative attitudes in the punished individual. One way managers may be able to reduce the negative impact of punishment is by using explanations regarding the need for punishment. These explanations are called social accounts. Not all …

Interpersonal Forgiveness In Adolescent Friendships, Molly A. Wernli

Student Work

The purpose of the present study was to investigate interpersonal forgiveness in the context of adolescent friendships. The following factors were examined in relation to an adolescent’s forgiveness of a transgressing friend: a) religiosity, b) commitment, c) relationship closeness, d) empathy, e) apologies, and f) transgression severity. A total of 161 students (66 males, 95 females) from grades 7,9, and 11 (12- to 18-years of age) participated. Transgression severity was found to have the most influence on forgiveness, accounting for 70% of the variance. Adolescents were more forgiving after low-severity transgressions than high-severity transgressions. The presence of apology had a …

Characteristics And Qualities That Are Important To Middle School-Aged Students In Choosing Friends, Kristin R. Honaker-Carter

Student Work

This study investigates the characteristics that are important to middle school students when they choose their friends. The subjects for this research study are seventh, eighth, and ninth graders with ages ranging from 11-15 years old.

The population surveyed was limited to 47 middle-school aged children whose parents responded to a flyer posted in one of two college universities. The study design was a 14-question value survey using a Likert scale. The questions relate to the importance of various characteristics in choosing friends. The survey also included demographic questions pertaining to the subject’s gender, grade level, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and …

A Field Study Examining Leader-Member Exchange (Lmx): Challenging The Universally Positive Conceptualization Of Lmx, Thomas Michael Hepperlen

Student Work

The construct of Leader-Member Exchange (LMX) - which emphasizes the quality of the relationship within supervisor-subordinate dyads - has received much empirical support over the last 25 years. Although high LMX relationships have generally been construed as universally positive in the scientific literature, some recent evidence suggests that: (a) all employees may not have an equal opportunity to develop high LMX relationships with their superiors, and (b) some high LMX employees may actually perform below the level o f their low LMX counterparts. In order to address both the positive and negative aspects o f LMX, the present thesis proposed …

Third-Graders' Motivation, Metacognition, And Transaction As They Learn About Women In History, Joyce Pawlenty

Student Work

The purposes of this study were to describe (1) the process(es) students use to choose women in history to research; (2) students’ motivation to read literature about women; (3) metacognitive strategies students used as they read, wrote, and learned about women; and (4) ways in which students transacted with ideas in the literature they read. Eighteen third-grade students participated in a class unit about women in history. Four of those students who had demonstrated lower reading achievement were the focus of more in-depth study. Students chose and read a biography about a woman. As the students read, they wrote their …