Digital Commons Network^™

To Build A Better Textbook: Developing A Literature Curriculum For Today’S Christian Schooling, Abby L. Cockrell

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis explores the educational philosophy and the creative process behind the creation of a new textbook and curriculum. The goal of this new textbook and curriculum is to help persuade high school students to view literature as an avenue of life-long learning. The plan to develop this textbook and curriculum is built on five objectives: a recognition of the need for holistic education, the implementation of differentiated teaching methods, the cultivation of student interest, the reflection of diversity within classrooms, and the integration of modern technology. This plan will be proposed in the creation of a textbook for use …

Ambivalent Sexism, Religiosity, And Perceptions Of College Majors As Masculine Or Feminine, Emily Boyles

Senior Honors Theses

This study sought to determine if college students view certain majors as masculine or feminine and if gender perceptions influence their choice of major and subsequent vocation. The methodology included analysis of predictive relationship between scores on the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory (ASI), the Ambivalence toward Men Inventory (AMI), the Revised Religious Fundamentalism Scale (RRFS), and a scale measuring perceptions of majors as masculine or feminine. A total of 492 college students from a large east coast Christian university participated in this study by completing an online survey. Based on the university’s degree offerings, 24 college majors were selected, and students …

Food Deserts: The Issue And Possible Solutions, Lauren Branham

Senior Honors Theses

Areas in which residents lack access to low-priced, nutritious food are called food deserts. Typical characteristics of food deserts include residents with limited income, high concentrations of ethnic minorities, difficultly accessing grocery stores with a produce section, and high exposure to fast food restaurants and convenience stores. The reason limited access to healthy, minimally processed foods is an issue is because foods that are highly processed typically have higher levels of fat, sugar, and salt content which have been linked to obesity, coronary artery disease, and other chronic diseases. Many different types of interventions have been attempted to combat this …

Associations Between Executive Functioning And Social Adjustment In Urban School Children Participating In A Mindful Yoga Practice, Victoria A. Sacco

Senior Honors Theses

The present study is a preliminary investigation assessing the associations between socioemotional adjustment and executive functioning problems in a low-income, high-risk sample of elementary students who participated in a mindful yoga practice. Mindfulness is a concept that encompasses attention within the present moment and requires acceptance and nonjudgment. Rather than being an outcome-reliant principle, it emphasizes the individual’s present state of mind and being (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Recently, mindfulness has become a popular phenomenon in research. It has shown to be a highly effective coping strategy and mediator for cognitive, emotional, and behavioral problems (Flook, 2010; Hayes & Feldman, 2004; Broderick …

Assessing Blackmouth Shiner (Notropis Melanostomus) Habitat In The Pascagoula River Using A Habitat Inundation Index Based On Time Series Landsat Data, Ben Beasley

Senior Honors Theses

The Blackmouth Shiner (Notropis melanostomus) is a small North American cyprinid that is listed as a Species of Concern due its relatively small range, occurring at only a few sites in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Due to limited data and the small number of actual samples of N. melanostomus, the true characteristics of viable habitat and distribution remain unknown.

The objective of my research was to utilize remote sensing data to gain a better understanding of the habitat characteristics where the N. melanostomus has been collected and use this information to identify other areas were populations are …

Investigation And Implementation Of A Lifting Line Theory To Predict Propeller Performance, Jonathan R. Eastridge

Senior Honors Theses

Numerous hydrodynamic theories may be used to predict the performance of marine propellers. The goal of this thesis is to investigate and implement a lifting line theory as a program written in FORTRAN and to test its capabilities on some Wageningen B-Series propellers. Special attention is given to the validation of the routines involved in the implementation of the theory. Difficulties were experienced in obtaining results that accurately reflect the published experimental results, and some discussion is included regarding possibilities for the sources of these errors. Also discussed are the results of other lifting line codes and their respective differences …

Visualizing Aquatic Species Movement With Spatiotemporal Data From Acoustic And Satellite Transmitters, Perabjoth Singh Bajwa

Senior Honors Theses

Tracking an individual specimen can be a difficult task especially when one also has to keep track of the environmental factors that affect the tracked specimen’s behavior. The task of tracking these animals becomes impossible when they become submerged in water and their number increases to more than just one. The aquatic species that are being tracked by this project in Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico are: tarpon, scalloped hammerhead, whale shark, tiger shark, yellowfin tuna, spotted seatrout, redfish, and bull shark. We are tracking these fish using acoustic and satellite transmitters. The insertion of transmitters in the …

A Lusty Bacheler: The Language Of Sexualization And Status In The Squire’S Portrait, Jessica D'Aquin

Senior Honors Theses

Chaucer scholars often neglect the Squire in their treatment of the Canterbury Tales, making it is necessary to reassess the Squire’s relation to the Roman de la Rose and the ways in which he is satirized through the parallels between his portrait and the Roman. Upon further examination of the Squire’s portrait, it becomes apparent that the Squire is part of a larger satiric discourse on people who use their vocation for personal gain in the Canterbury Tales by means of comparison to Fausemblant of the Roman. Through careful scrutiny of the language of the Squire’s portrait, this thesis analyzes …

Additive Friction Stir Manufacturing Of 7055 Aluminum Alloy, Shawn Michael Puleo

Senior Honors Theses

The objective of the report is to investigate the feasibility and reliability of additive friction stir manufacturing of 7055 aluminum alloy. This is a technique in which multiple lap welds are performed to create a three-dimensional part out of relatively thin plate aluminum. To accomplish this, a four inch stack of 7055 aluminum alloy lap welds must be created. The solid weld nugget is then machined out of the center of the welded stack to create ASTM approved subsize tensile coupons. Rockwell hardness, yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, and percent elongation information is gathered from the tensile coupons to investigate …

The Politics Of Land Distribution: Ingenio Victoria De Julio- El Timal, A Case Study Of Nicaraguan Rural Conflicts After 1990, Brenda Siles

Senior Honors Theses

One of the greatest legacies of the Sandinista Revolution was agrarian reform. Despite the amount of land redistributed, this process happened without any form of legal documentation to support the transfer of property from one owner to the next. The end of the civil war, the peace accords and the transition of power from left to right-wing parties produced conflicting policies that would bring high levels of complexity to the system of land tenure in the country. The case of the state-owned sugar mill, Ingenio Victoria de Julio – El Timal is of one the most emblematic examples of how …

The Effect Of Transformed Escherichia Coli On The Mouse Intestine Microbiome: The Microbial Metabolic Enhancement Hypothesis, Bryar P. Kader

Senior Honors Theses

Metabolic disorders affect around thirty-four percent of the population in the United States. Among these disorders is lactose intolerance, which results from diminished production of the human lactase enzyme. This disorder and others like it are genetically determined and cannot be cured. However, the use of transformed bacteria implanted in the colon may provide a means by which the faulty pathway can be bypassed. To test whether transformed bacteria have the capability to aid in the digestion of normally indigestible compounds, a transformed strain of Escherichia coli overexpressing the beta-galactosidase enzyme encoded by the lacZ gene was colonized in the …

Eyebrows: A Collection Of Stories About That Family You Saw In Aldi's Last Week, Wesley D. Pena

Senior Honors Theses

This creative thesis will begin with an introduction to the idea of creative nonfiction and will also present a short collection of creative nonfiction stories. The creative body of the thesis will consist of short stories taken from the author's own life that center around the common theme of family, focusing especially on the author's role as a big sister in a family of nine children. Following these short stories, the conclusion of the thesis will briefly consider the value of personal stories like these in the larger scheme of literature. For those unfamiliar with the genre, this thesis hopes …

Muscular Christianity: A Comparison And Analysis Of The Historic And Modern Muscular Christian Movements, Chase H. Stevens

Senior Honors Theses

“Muscular Christianity” is a scholarly term that is used to define the general view of Christians in Europe and the United States that arose in the 1800s toward sport involvement. Muscular Christian beliefs have progressed throughout the past century and are still influential in the modern world. This thesis seeks to outline the historic progression of muscular Christian beliefs and practices and then explores similarities and differences of modern muscular Christian beliefs with its historic positions. It concludes with a future perspective on the globalization of muscular Christianity and provides suggestions for proper Christian attitudes toward sport.

The Effects Of Iron Deficiency Anemia And Iron Supplementation In Pregnancy, Anna J. Cox

Senior Honors Theses

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a condition that occurs in both underdeveloped and developed countries worldwide. This disorder is diagnosed in an individual who presents the common signs and symptoms of anemia along with consistently low clinical markers of stored iron. Iron deficiency (ID) usually precedes a diagnosis of IDA as the insufficient amount of iron often goes undetected until one’s quality of life is diminished. Certain populations, such as women who are pregnant or of reproductive age, are particularly at risk for ID and the development of IDA. During pregnancy, the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for iron is greater …

Music In Advertising: An Overview Of Jingles, Popular Music And The Emotional Impact Of Music In Advertising, Jeremy Jia Le Ng

Senior Honors Theses

Music is used extensively in advertising. Thus, it is surprising that so little research has been conducted on the emotional effects of music in advertising. Industry research has focused on the informational processing model, which measures how effective an advertisement is based on recall and understanding. However, beyond influencing thoughts and behavior, music tugs at the heart and leaves a lasting mark.

This thesis gives an overview of how music has been used in advertising, and delves into the emotional impacts of music in advertising. This thesis also explores the creative process behind choosing the right music for an advertisement, …

Less Lethal Weapons: An Effectiveness Analysis, Timothy R. Kjellman

Senior Honors Theses

Less-lethal weapons have been effective at saving lives by providing police an option for defense or apprehension that does not involve a firearm. However, not all less-lethal weapons are created equal, and careful planning with a solid base of research must be done to insure that officers are prepared for every circumstance. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current information about less-lethal weapons and create a comprehensive breakdown of their strengths and weaknesses. This will include current statistics on the most common less-lethal weapons, as well as insight from scholarly sources. The strengths and weaknesses of a …

Animacy And Alienability: A Reconsideration Of English Possession, Jaimee Jones

Senior Honors Theses

Current scholarship on English possessive constructions, the s-genitive and the of-construction, largely ignores the possessive relationships inherent in certain English compound nouns. Scholars agree that, in general, an animate possessor predicts the s-genitive while an inanimate possessor predicts the of-construction. However, the current literature rarely discusses noun compounds, such as the table leg, which also express possessive relationships. However, pragmatically and syntactically, a compound cannot be considered as a true possessive construction. Thus, this paper will examine why some compounds still display possessive semantics epiphenomenally. The noun compounds that imply possession seem to exhibit relationships prototypical of inalienable …

Musical Contextualization In The Local Church: A Pragmatic Exploration Concerning The Philosophy And Methodology Of Assimilating Sacred Music Into The Worship Vocabulary Of A Congregation, Kaleb Gooden

Senior Honors Theses

God’s mandate for all worship pastors is that they minister to their local body of believers in an effective way. This directive necessitates the use of scripturally and culturally appropriate music that clearly communicates the Gospel to the church congregation. This creative thesis further investigates musical contextualization in the local church.

Five philosophical pillars represent the most basic structure on which the entire process of local church contextualization stands. The minister must be rooted in scripture, led by the Spirit, present-minded, future-driven, and committed to service. After evaluating these philosophical concepts, this thesis will then explore the methodological contextualization process …

Teaching Special Education In The Es/Fl Classroom, Melinda Koerth

Senior Honors Theses

English language learners (ELLs) are growing in number in the United States school system. With this increase in population comes the task of providing quality and appropriate education for these students. A great part of this responsibility falls on instructors of English as a Second/Foreign Language (ES/FL) courses. As with every other content area, the possibility of having students with disabilities and disorders in the classroom exists. However, in the context of language acquisition unique obstacles and pitfalls exist which are particular to this field. Providing services for ELLs with special needs is a major concern in the realm of …

The Psychological And Physical Rehabilitation Of Amputees, Victoria Ramos

Senior Honors Theses

Since physical therapy requires constant interaction with other people, it is a career that requires not only medical knowledge, but knowledge of the human psychology as well. A physical therapist may be well versed in recovery techniques, but how will he or she get the patient motivated if the patient is not motivated to begin with? Every person is different. Rehabilitation of amputees is a delicate process that requires significant work over an extended time period. Many factors are involved during the preoperative phase, as well as the postoperative phase. However, by being aware of the patient’s mental status and …

Accounting For The Government Funding Of Non-Profits And The Planned Parenthood Federation Of America, Rachel E. Brown

Senior Honors Theses

Accounting creates a framework for providing transparency in an organization. This foundation is especially important in not-for-profit entities because government grants and contributions often compose significant portions of overall revenues and receipts. An overview of non-profit standards and the government system of distributing funds provides insight into non-profits as a whole and enables the study of specific organizations. As the nation’s largest provider of abortion and family planning services, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America is an especially important organization to study and understand. It receives significant funds from federal and state governments and should receive equally significant evaluation by …

The Utilization Of Exogenous Surfactant In The Neonate, Katherine Thorkildsen

Senior Honors Theses

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common consequence of pulmonary immaturity in the lungs of neonates. RDS is the result of the deficient secretion of endogenous surfactant, causing increased surface tension in the alveolar sacs leading to respiratory compromise. RDS is more common in the preterm neonate but can be experienced by neonates at any gestational age. Treatment for RDS formerly consisted of mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy to treat and relieve symptoms but not the cause. A new treatment method, developed largely in the 1980s and 90s is the use of exogenous surfactant to treat the deficiency exhibited in …

The Role Of Composition And Orchestration In The Contemporary Church: A Practical Model Of God-Honoring Creativity In Modern Worship, Lauren Bentley

Senior Honors Theses

The role of composition and orchestration in the contemporary church is sometimes overlooked because of the simplicity of today’s worship songs. There is an obvious tension between excellence and authenticity when approaching modern worship. Through following examples of church arrangers as well as secular composers, the writer has composed and orchestrated an original piece for use in a contemporary worship context.

A philosophy and methodology for creating this composition are both outlined, with three components addressed in each: increasing the musical complexity, ensuring theologically correct lyrics, and purifying the intention of the heart in order to glorify God through the …

Increasing Job Satisfaction And Organizational Commitment In The Millennial Workforce, Courtney A. Tschantz

Senior Honors Theses

Members of the Millennial Generation have higher rates of turnover compared to other generations. This can represent significant costs to organizations, and therefore is important to minimize. Job satisfaction has been shown to increase motivation and productivity as well as decrease turnover, and can be maximized by adjusting economic factors, fostering interpersonal relationships, and adjusting activities, tasks, and work conditions to the personality of the worker. All three types of organizational commitment (affective, normative, and continuance) also decrease turnover rates. Both job satisfaction and organizational commitment depend on a worker’s personality, needs, and expectations, which are influenced by the generation …

The Presence Of Stem Cells In Human Breast Milk And Research Implications, Melody (Brooke) Peterson

Senior Honors Theses

Stem cell therapy research is an expanding area of study as stem cell therapy is believed to have the potential to provide treatment options for numerous disease processes. Currently, embryonic stem cell research is the method of choice to evaluate the potential for stem cell therapy. The use of human embryos for stem cell research raises moral and ethical controversies. Stem cells are found in a variety of mediums, but until the recent discovery of stem cells in human breast milk, the most versatile stem cells have been those found in the human embryo. Human breast milk stem cells could …

The Importance Of C.S. Lewis To Faith-Based Theatre As Seen In The Silver Chair, Andrew J. Wilkinson

Senior Honors Theses

The paper contains an adaptation of the book The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis and details the purpose for why this particular story is important for the faith-based theatre community. There are a number of Christian themes that are evident in the story that are examined as well as the elements of the story that make it apt for adapting to a play format.

Gene Expression Profiling In An Alzheimer's Disease Mouse Model, Matthew R. Dalton

Senior Honors Theses

Explaining precisely how Alzheimer’s disease (AD)—the world’s most common form of dementia—materializes in the human brain has proven to be one of the most elusive ends in modern medicine. Progressive memory loss, neurodegeneration, and the presence of abnormal protein aggregates of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) characterize this disease. Genome sequencing provides researchers with the ability to better identify disease-related changes in gene expression, some of which may play a role in the initiation and progression toward the AD-like state. Intimate interactions between tissues have been observed in many diseases, particularly between the brain and blood. This analysis seeks …

Taking On The Man: Female Rebellion Against Gender Roles In Classical Greek Drama, Gabrielle Killough

Senior Honors Theses

The portrayal of women in Ancient Greek drama seems at times opposed to the societal gender roles within Classical Athens. In the plays, women are strong and dynamic figures who enact change and upheaval in their world. Ancient dramas, like Agamemnon, Medea, Antigone, and Lysistrata, portrayed women with strong autonomy and minds which matched their male counterparts; whereas the women in Classical Athens found themselves in more limited circumstances. In analyzing the nature of these disparities, it seems that the constant factor is that the plays concern the violation of the household. The female characters respond in one of …

Collection Of Ticks For Surveillance Of Disease Agents On A Mountain In Central Virginia, Heather E. Stanley

Senior Honors Theses

Tick-borne disease is found all over the world, and interest in disease surveillance for tick-borne illnesses has increased, partly because some of the illnesses are becoming more common. Tick collection is an integral and necessary part of disease surveillance, and knowledge of the ticks’ habitats, life cycles, and different collection methods increases the chance of their capture. Beginning in March of 2015, ticks were collected using CO₂ traps from Candlers Mountain in central Virginia. The tapes used in the traps were experimentally tested using a force transducer to create a trap that would capture the greatest number of ticks. …

Association Between Sensory Responsiveness And Attachment Style In College Students With And Without Adhd, Madeline Alderfer

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore possible correlations between overall sensory processing responsivity and relationship attachment, as well as between sensory subscales and relationship attachment. It also tested for a difference between sensory processing patterns among young adults with and without ADHD. The sample included 370 college students: 32 who had received an ADHD diagnosis and 338 who had not. Participants completed an online self-report survey made up of various demographics questions, the Sensory Processing Quotient (SPQ), and the Experiences in Close Relationships – General/Global Scale (ECR-General). A significant correlation was discovered between general SPQ scores and relationship …