Digital Commons Network^™

Domesticity And The Modernist Aesthetic : F.T. Marinetti, Djuna Barnes, And Gertrude Stein, Allison Elise Carey

Doctoral Dissertations

Literary modernism has been presented, in scholarship and critical histories, as a masculinized movement: a literature largely by men and concerned with issues of literary form rather than with everyday life. This critical tunnel vision has inevitably prevented a full accounting of many key aspects of modernist literature. One issue of modernism that has been persistently overlooked by scholars is the central role of domesticity in many modernist texts and the importance to modernists of reclaiming the domestic as a subject of high art. As this study demonstrates, modernist texts often focused on everyday life, and these modernist treatments of …

The Impact Of U.S. News & World Report Rankings On Mba Programs At Eight Public Institutions, Nissa Dahlin-Brown

Doctoral Dissertations

U.S. News & World Report has published a ranking of the top 50 MBA programs since 1990. Today, the rankings are so popular and powerful, that prospective students, alumni, legislators, college presidents, deans, and admissions officers wait with bated breath to see where their school will be ranked. The purpose of this qualitative study was to look behind the numbers of the rankings to discover the impact of the U.S. News & World Report rankings on eight differentially ranked, public MBA schools, as perceived by 45 faculty and administrators. Three schools from the top 25, three from the bottom 25, …

Relative Biodiversity Trends Of The Cenozoic Caribbean Region : Investigations Of Possible Causes And Issues Of Scale Using A Biostratigraphic Database Of Corals, Echinoids, Bivalves, And Gastropods, William Gray Dean

Doctoral Dissertations

The fossil record remains the primary tool to understand macro-evolutionary processes over time. Unfortunately, much debate has centered upon sampling biases that pervade the rock and fossil record. A relative metric is presented that reduces the effect of uneven distribution of fossils across time and space. The Diversity Index of Growth (DIG) metric measures relative change of biodiversity because it examines the four key parameters of biodiversity: New, Extinct, Stable and Total, as obtained from biostratigraphic data. In this study, DIG was utilized to examine biodiversity trends of a Cenozoic Caribbean database consisting of genus-level biostratigraphic occurrences of corals, echinoids, …

The Career Satisfaction, Future Plans, And Personal Characteristics Of Tennessee Public School Science And Mathematics Teachers In 2001, Delisa K. Dismukes

Doctoral Dissertations

The effect of state mandates on the supply and demand of science and mathematics teachers in Tennessee is dependent upon the composition of the population of science and mathematics teachers. The purpose of this study was to replicate a study conducted in 1985 by Smith which determined the demographic profile of the general population of secondary school science and mathematics teachers in Tennessee; their general level of job satisfaction; their future plans; and their perceptions of the extent to which they possess job-related skills and abilities, the extent to which they value job-related variables, and the extent to which they …

Collaborative Learning Among Farmers As An Approach To Alternative Agriculture Education, Robin Antony Fazio

Doctoral Dissertations

I undertook this action research to study my facilitation of a new approach to helping farmers learn about alternative agricultural practices. This approach involved farmers engaging in three types of teaching and learning (Peters and Armstrong, 1998) with an emphasis on collaborative learning. I served as facilitator and participant in workshops held once per month over a period of eleven months. I used individual interviews, field notes and reflective journaling to obtain descriptions of farmers' learning experiences and of my role as facilitator/participant. I then analyzed the data using domain analysis and coding methods. The results were expressed in terms …

Micro And Macro-Level Communication Competence In Relation To Ethics : Does It Really Matter What Leaders And Organizations Say, As Long As They Say It Well?, David M. Gesler

Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Camps For Children With Autism, Jayne O'Neal Griffin

Doctoral Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Fire And Forest In The Highlands Of The Cordillera Central, Dominican Republic : Modern Dynamics And Long-Term History, Lisa Marie Kennedy

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation investigates past and present environments of the highlands of the Dominican Republic using paleoecological and modem ecological techniques. The relatively unstudied highlands (>2000 m) of the Cordillera Central are blanketed by a mosaic of pine forests, open pine woodlands, and grasslands, with broadleaf trees joining the canopy in sheltered locations. My research on modem vegetation and fire ecology, and on long-t� fire and vegetation history, helps fill gaps in the knowledge of Caribbean environments, and may assist land managers in conservation efforts in the Dominican highlands. A study of the relationship between modem pollen rain and vegetation …

The Meaning Of Sport-Related Events In The Process Of Becoming And Being A Fan : A Grounded Theory Study Of Highly Committed Sport Fans, Melinda Jo Jones

Doctoral Dissertations

Newspapers across the country and around the world are filled with reports of events that have occurred within the sporting world. These events range from summaries of wins/losses and statistics of the players in the game to reports of more significant even�s ( e.g., a player's retirement, a team relocation, a league folding, or a player's legal battles). The initial purpose of this dissertation was to explore and describe sports fans' perceptions of and reactions to sport-related critical incidents. However, the research focus was modified to examine (1) what it means to be a sport fan, (2) the factors and …

Determinant Attributes Used By The Elderly For Making Grocery Store Choices, Angela Lewis

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the determinant attributes used by the rapidly increasing elderly (aged 65 and older) consumer segment when choosing among the various retailers for grocery purchases. This study also sought to examine the importance of these determinant attributes and how these determinant attributes affect grocery store patronage decisions. Finally, this study explored the impact that primary store choice, age, self-reported healthiness, activity and mobility have on the importance placed on grocery store attributes. Data were gathered via a mail questionnaire. A determinant attribute . model based on the basic multi-attribute model formed the theoretical …

Leadership Behavior Of East Tennessee Directors Of Public Schools And The Job Satisfaction Of Principals, Gerald Garrison Miller

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the school district directors' leadership behavior and the principals' job satisfaction. In particular, the problem addressed by this study was which, if any, of the five leadership practices of school directors that were measured by the "Leadership Practices Inventory" (LPI) by Kouzesand Posner ( 1997), had a relationship to the job satisfaction of principals, as measured by the "Job Satisfaction Survey" (JSS) by Spector (I 985). The population included 526 eligible, K-12, East Tennessee public schools principals. The entire population was surveyed with 329 (63%) principals responding period. The questionnaire consisted of …

A Critique Of The Disease Model Of Addiction, Annette Mary Mendola

Doctoral Dissertations

While there is widespread disagreement as to just what addiction is, the two most popular models are the moral model (i.e., addiction is a moral failing) and the disease model (i.e., addiction is a kind of disease). Both of these models have serious problems, for theory and for practice. Furthermore, since competing models for addiction have different implications for treatment, law, social norms, and so on, it is important to find a single model for addiction that works in every arena. We need an account of addiction that avoids the problems of the disease models and the moral models. That …

Integration Of Course Management System Communication Tools In Instruction, Jamie T. Nelson

Doctoral Dissertations

A major thrust of education is integration of technology in to teaching. In the face-to-face classroom, computer mediated communication tools such as electronic mail, discussion forums and chat are currently being integrated into instruction at a rapid pace. This is especially true in courses that use course management systems to deliver content. Are the current integration practices leading students to higher levels of cognitive engagement? Faculty members that choose to use technology in their teaching practice need to use a sound pedagogical framework to structure course tasks that use the technologies. The purpose of the study was to identify which …

A Qualitative Study Of Classroom Teacher Practices With English As A Second Language Students, Rachel Patten

Doctoral Dissertations

While there are multiple studies relating to the ESL specialist, the area of classroom teachers' practices in teaching ESL students is largely unexplored. It was the intention of this research to examine the adaptations, and accommodations made by classroom teachers when they have an ESL student in their classroom. The intent of the researcher was to uncover, through interview and observation, what actually occurs in these mainstream classes to facilitate learning for ESL students. The analysis of the interviews revealed rich information about the classroom teacher's uses of those methods, which are effective with first language students, with the ESL …

Reading The Colonial Christian Mission : Postcolonialism And Liberation Theology In Novels By Mongo Beti And RenʹE Philombe, Tracy Parkinson

Doctoral Dissertations

This study examines three Cameroonian novels written in French in the midtwentieth century, Le Pauvre Christ de Bomba and Le Roi miracule by Mongo Beti and Un Sorcier Blanc a Zangali by Rene Philombe. Each of the three novels deals with the presence of European Christian missions in Cameroon during the colonial era and each one portrays a missionary priest as a principal character. Making use of insight from both Postcolonial literary and cultural theory and Liberation Theology, this work explores the representation of these priests, their relation to the colonial endeavor, and their relations with those whom they encounter. …

Nontraditional Female Students Enrolled In Developmental English Courses At Roane State Community College, Belita Diane Raines

Doctoral Dissertations

The first purpose of this study was to understand the experiences and needs of nontraditional female students enrolled in Developmental English courses at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The second purpose of this study was to learn from current students how to help future students overcome the barriers they will face and thus enable them to be more successful in their college coursework. In order to collect data regarding nontraditional female students enrolled in Developmental English courses at Roane State Community College in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, two different types of data collection were used. First, surveys were …

Stem-Loops Iii And Iv In The 5' Untranslated Region Are Cis-Acting Elements In Bovine Coronavirus Di Rna Replication, Sharmila Raman

Doctoral Dissertations

Higher-order structures in the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of plus-strand RNA viruses are known in many cases to function as cis-acting elements in RNA translation, replication, and transcription. The bovine coronavirus (BCo V) 210 nucleotide (nt) 5' UTR is predicted to contain four higher-order structures identified as stem-loops I to IV. In this study, evidence supporting the structure and a cis-acting function in BCoV defective interfering (DI) RNA replication of two of these structures, stem-loops III and IV is presented. Both stem-loops show phylogenetic conservation among group 2 coronaviruses and appear to have homologs or analogs in coronavirus groups 1 …

Design And Development Of A Process For Acid Hydrolysis Of Excess Sludge, Larry Willis Perkins

Doctoral Dissertations

This research investigates a process called nitrolysis for treatment of excess sludge produced during wastewater treatment. Nitrolysis involves the treatment of excess sludge with nitric acid at elevated temperatures ( 180°C) and pressures (200 psi). This research has shown up to nearly 100% conversion of the biomass ( corrected to be free of inert materials) to products. The products include acetic acid, formic acid, and carbon dioxide. The advantage of the process is the reduction in excess sludge for disposal (reduction in cost and liability) and the production of reclaimable products. This research shows a large reduction in mass and …

Reading Rate And Comprehension As A Function Of Presentation Mode (Computerized Vs. Traditional) And Processing Speed, Christy Ann Sorrell

Doctoral Dissertations

In a counterbalanced treatment design, 12 elementary school aged children read under two conditions: a) independent, silent, and with mentor help as necessary; and b) computer assisted, with visual and auditory delivery of text (via Kurzweil 3000). A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) revealed no significant difference in the composite mean for their comprehension and reading rate scores based on presentation strategy (F (2,9) = 1. 10, p = .3 7). Results from this MANOV A also revealed no significant difference in the composite mean of comprehension and reading rate scores based on students' processing speed (F (2,9) …

Self-Consciousness And The Body In Sartrean Phenomenology, David Michael Reisman

Doctoral Dissertations

Commentators interested in applying Sartre's work to topics currently discussed in analytic philosophy of mind have missed some crucial distinctions and relations. Most notably, they have paid no attention to the relationship between the apprehension of a kind of Cartesian ego in "impure reflection" and the apprehension of oneself as a physical object. My dissertation examines Sartre's analyses in Being and Nothingness in relation to more familiar approaches to the mind-body problem, the problem of other minds, and the problem of personal identity over time. Crucial to Sartre's analyses are distinctions between several types and levels of reflection or selfawareness. …

The Structuration Of Brain Dominance On Organizational Communication : A Correlational Study, Astrid Sheil

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine if the influence of brain dominance as defined by Herrmann (1982, 1995), which includes left-brain/right-brain dominance and cerebral/ limbic dominance, offers predictive capabilities in determining preferences for communication channel selection, feedback frequency, and job satisfaction in organizations. The study also examined whether sex has a determining role in predicting preferences for communication channels, feedback, and job satisfaction. Raw scores from the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument (HBDI) were correlated with responses to a validated survey instrument, which combined items from the International Communication Association (ICA) Audit (Downs, 1988), and the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire …

Exploring Differences In Clinical Judgments Of Dangerousness Of North Carolina Psychiatric Inpatients : Utility Of The Hcr-20 Risk Assessment Scheme, Adeirdre Lacheryl Stribling

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of clinician ratings of dangerousness among psychiatric inpatients by utilizing the structured HCR-20 Risk Assessment Scheme. The study is based on archival records of patients committed to a North Carolina psychiatric hospital due to being found incompetent to proceed to trial, not guilty by reason of insanity, or detained due to exhibiting exceptional dangerous behavior in the community or while hospitalized. The individuals were chosen for the study because they had at least two completed HCR-20 risk assessments of historical, clinical, and risk management factors of dangerousness. Patients (N=52) were …

Alternative Trading Systems' Impacts On Depth And Informed Trading, Timothy Shawn Strother

Doctoral Dissertations

This study investigates the impact of Alternative Trading Systems (ATS) on depth and the probability of informed trading (PIN). The probability of informed trading and VNET, a metric of depth that determines the net directional volume necessary to induce a price change or return, are estimated for volume-matched samples of New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Nasdaq listed firms. Trade and quote data are obtained for two time periods before, and two time periods following, the introduction of trading in decimals on January 29,2001 and April 19, 2001 for the NYSE and Nasdaq, respectively. The data are used to estimate …

The Ability Of Earnings Management Models To Detect And Predict Public Discovery Of Accounting-Fraud, Samuel Lockhart Tibbs

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to analyze and compare: 1) the ability of competing aggregate accrual and frequency distribution models to detect extreme earnings management, i.e. accounting-fraud, and 2) the ability of a composite model to predict accounting-fraud using only prior period information. Studies have used various models to detect earnings management in circumstances in which, a priori, some management is likely to exist. Events with incentives to manage earnings analyzed include issuing securities, maintaining positive earnings or an upward earnings trend, increasing an earnings-based bonus, increasing subsidies during import relief investigations, or decreasing penalties during antitrust investigations. However, …

Ethnic Differences Using Behavior Rating Scales To Assess The Mental Health Of Children : A Measurement Equivalence Study, Edgar H. Tyson

Doctoral Dissertations

Cultural competence in measurement has become increasingly important in child welfare and juvenile justice systems where disproportionate numbers of children and families from diverse ethnic groups are served. However, there is a present gap in the literature regarding the assessment of children from different ethnic groups using behavior-rating scales. This study examined the cross-ethnic measurement equivalence of the SAC (Glisson et al, 2001) using a sample that included 562 African American (AA) and 692 Caucasian-American (CA) children. These data were part of a three panel longitudinal survey of families referred to juvenile court in one state. Specifically, baseline and first …

An Examination Of Eighth And Twelfth Grade Students' Mathematics Achievement In Relation To School Locale, County Location, Looping Status, Ses, Grade And Class Size, And Access To Upper-Level Mathematics Courses In Tennessee, Joseph Jeremy Winters

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, this study was conducted to examine the status of mathematics achievement in rural schools in Tennessee. The second purpose of this study was to understand the presence and effects of the educational practice of looping in terms of secondary level mathematics. In order to thoroughly investigate these topics, other potentially confounding variables were examined for their effects on students' mathematics achievement. Five instruments were used to examine the mathematics achievement of eighth and twelfth grade students from Tennessee during the 2001-2002 school year. The Algebra 1 Gateway Test and the Mathematics Section …

Relationship Marketing : The Dyadic Bonding Experience Between A Consumer And A Company, Simon Walls

Doctoral Dissertations

This study introduces the concept of the consumer-firm bonding experience. It proposes that consumers develop bonds with firms. This idea has not been fully explored in the literature. This dissertation seeks to offer a contribution to the marketing literature and the marketplace by building upon existing marketing and psychology literature and theory. This study suggests that there is an inherent genotypic-source desire within each consumer to form bonds with selected individuals. These consumer-firm bonds result in a physiognomy and other figural notions such as the consumer's cogito, and response to environmental influences that are grounded in each consumer's unique background …

Composts, Biofumigation, Dazomet, And Integrated Treatments Influence Southern Blight, Yield, And Microbial Community Composition In Plasticulture Tomato Production, Martin T. Lyons

Doctoral Dissertations

Plasticulture vegetable production is an important agricultural industry in the United States. Advantages of utilizing plastic mulch in combination with trickle irrigation and fertigation include weed control, water conservation, erosion prevention, and avoidance of disease by restricting contact of vegetables with contaminated soil.

Southern Blight, caused by the phytopathogenic fungus Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., represents one of the major disease threats to tomato crops in the southeast United States. Integrated pre-plant soil treatments that can reduce pathogen propagule numbers and reestablish a balanced soil microecology have potential as effective, sustainable disease control strategies.

The soil treatments investigated in this study were …

Assessment Center Construct Validity : Establishing Expectations Based On The Dimension Activation Theory, Michelle A. Bush

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the construct validity of assessment center dimension ratings within the confines of an extended trait activation theory. Specifically, previous findings of high within exercise rating correlations have led researchers to conclude that ratings are affected by halo. Conversely, the extended trait activation theory suggests that high correlations are a function of the different levels of activation potential for various dimensions rated in a given exercise. For dimensions having stronger activation potential, it is expected that high levels of between subject rating variance will evidence discriminant validity. However, it is expected that dimensions …

Photoproduction Of The K⁺K⁻(1750), Ryan Edward Mitchell

Doctoral Dissertations

While photoproduction has often been advertised as an important environment in which to study light meson spectroscopy, solid experimental results are sparse. In fact, beyond the relatively straightforward photoproduction of the p, w, and ¢ mesons, the few results of exclusive photoproduction that do exist are poorly understood, and several, perhaps, have even been misinterpreted. After extensively reviewing the sometimes tenuous history of the exclusive photoproduction of the "p'(1600)," the "w1r0(1 2 50)," the "w(1650)," and the "K+ K-(1750)," new results from the E 8 31/FOCUS photoproduction experiment at Fermilab are presented which address the interpretation of the K+ K-(1750). …