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Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

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Upcoming Events

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The free exhibit featuring Dead Sea Scroll replicas and artifacts continues to tour the Midwest until 30 August 2000. For the latest information about specific times and locations regarding the following schedule, contact an area stake center or visit the FARMS Web site (from the Free Services or the Member Services page, go to "Dead Sea Scrolls," found under "Links of Interest," and then to "Dead Sea Scrolls Traveling Exhibit").

Iron Ore Occurrences In Oman

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

On 5 April 2000 three BYU geology professors and a professional geologist reported on their work of evaluating the presence of iron ore in southern Oman. Titled "Nephi's Tools: An Overview of Iron Ore Occurrences in Oman," the session featured reports by Ronald A. Harris, Eugene E. Clark, Jeffrey D. Keith, and W. Revell Phillips. Their recent work in Oman is part of the university's larger effort to learn more about the history and culture of ancient southern Arabia.

Brown Bag Wrap-Up

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

On 23 February Terry Szink, an instructor in BYU's Department of Ancient Scripture, analyzed the structure of Enoch's vision recorded in Moses 7-8 and discussed how understanding that structure reveals insights about the meaning of the vision. The vision covers three general time periods (the time of the Flood, the meridian of time, the last days) and uses similar terms to express parallel meanings about all three.

Honorary Volume Focuses On Church History And Doctrine

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Richard Lloyd Anderson - known as a devoted teacher, careful writer, and perfect gentleman - has had a great impact on the study of LDS Church history. In The Disciple as Witness: Essays on Latter-day Saint History and Doctrine in Honor of Richard Lloyd Anderson, one of two Festschrift volumes published in recognition of his work, friends and colleagues have written 18 scholarly studies in his honor. Several of these papers were presented on 8 March 1997 at a conference titled "Pioneers of the Restoration."

Cpart Digitizes Archives In Lebanon And Vatican

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

In April 1999 INSIGHTS reported on negotiations between representatives of the Center for the Preservation of Ancient Religious Texts (CPART) at Brigham Young University and officials in Beirut, Lebanon, and at the Vatican Apostolic Library in Rome about digitally imaging ancient Syriac manuscripts for inclusion in CD-ROM databases. Since then agreements have been forged and work is under way.

Sound, Stories, And Psychology: The Perceptions And Motivations Of Audiobook Consumption, Ellice K. Tan

Theses and Dissertations

The demand for audiobooks is higher than ever--and increasing each year, surpassing the growth rate of electronic books, print books, and the US economy overall. Audiobooks have long been used to aid adolescent and struggling readers; however, recent studies have revealed that the majority of audiences consume audiobooks for the purpose of entertainment and relaxation. Despite this, much of the research available on audiobooks still applies to audiobooks as they are used in education. The purpose of this study was to understand the attitudes, opinions, and beliefs of people who love listening to audiobooks. The study was conducted using Q …

Exploring The Impact Of Hour Of Code On Students' Cs Interest And Perceptions, Jessica Marie Yauney

Theses and Dissertations

As the focus on computer science in K-12 classrooms grows, the 'Hour of Code' program has also grown. As Hour of Code is one of the largest educational campaigns, it is worth evaluation to ensure effects are well understood so that implementation can be made most effective. This research sought to better understand the impact of Hour of Code. This thesis presents findings from a systematic review and from a quasi-experimental study. A large number of research articles have been published on Hour of Code. Systematic review identified 64 papers including reports from experiments testing the efficacy of Hour of …

Development Of A Valid And Reliable Survey To Assess Personal, Behavioral, And Environmental Factors Surrounding Food Insecurity In A College Population, Jennette Kilgrow

Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The aims of our present study were to develop a valid and reliable survey framed around the social cognitive theory, which would evaluate internal and external factors associated with food insecurity from the student's perspective, and to test the survey with a multi-state population. Design: The College Perspectives around Food Insecurity (CPFI) survey was developed through several revision and improvement steps using a mixed methods approach. In Phase 1 (2018-2019), data were translated into survey items and assigned to a theoretical concept (personal, behavioral, or environmental) in the social cognitive theory. In Phase 2 (2019-2020), content validity testing occurred …

Ecuadorians In The Sacramento California Area: Attitudes And Language Maintenance, Jacob M. Strawn

Theses and Dissertations

The present qualitative study investigated Spanish language maintenance among a familial/friend group of ten Ecuadorians that live in Northern California. The participants completed a survey and participated in an interview from which I retrieved information about the importance of Spanish and English, their self-reported confidence in Spanish and English, language attitudes, language use in private/familial contexts, and language use in public/social contexts. Previous studies regarding language maintenance and language shift in California were primarily focused on the Mexican-American population. California has the fourth largest population of Ecuadorians in the United States, yet there are no maintenance and shift studies for …

Testing Methodologies And Results Of Radiation Induced Soft Errors For A Cots Sram, Fram, And Soc, Wesley Raymond Stirk

Theses and Dissertations

Methods for testing commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) digital devices at varying levels of complexity is presented and discussed as well as the results for testing a COTS SRAM, FRAM, and SoC using these methodologies in a pulsed dose rate environment at Little Mountain Test Facility (LMTF) and neutron testing at Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE). Investigations at LMTF revealed a dependence in all three devices on the integrated dose of a single pulse of radiation, implying that the duration of radiation plays a significant role in the response. The test infrastructure necessary to dynamically access an FRAM at LMTF and …

A Large-Scale Survey Of Brown Dwarf Atmospheres, Savanah Kay Turner

Theses and Dissertations

Brown dwarfs are substellar objects that fall in-between the smallest stars and largest planets in size and temperature. Due to their relatively cool temperatures, the atmospheres of these 'failed stars' have been shown to exhibit interesting properties such as iron, silicate, and salt clouds. Theoretical atmospheric models based on known physics and chemistry can be used as tools to interpret and understand our observations of brown dwarfs. I have fit archival and new infrared spectra of over 300 brown dwarfs with atmospheric models. Using the parameters of the best-fit models as estimates for the physical properties of the brown dwarfs …

Rfssw Behavior Prediction Using A Numerical Model, Evan Robert Berger

Theses and Dissertations

A two-dimensional axisymmetric thermo-mechanical model of the Refill Friction Stir Spot Welding (RFSSW) process was developed and validated with experimental data. Welding temperatures, tool forces, and material flow including defect formation, were accurately predicted by the model. Qualified repair techniques are critical for successful implementation of a welding process for use on large weldments with a significant number of spot joints, and this work demonstrates a repair technique for RFSSW that is validated both experimentally and numerically. Repaired properties are shown to exceed 90% of the original mechanical properties of the RFSSW process. RFSSW has different process parameters for every …

The Rhetoric Of Teaching A Crisis: Incorporating Rhetorical Pedagogy Into Crisis Communications Textbooks, Maren Louise Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

A crisis is a pivotal moment for a company, and having prepared communicators can impact the reputation and financial state of a company. But there is currently a gap in learning how to manage a crisis and performing in the workplace. To explore this problem, I analyzed the four most popular textbooks in crisis communications and analyzed how they used theory to help students craft a fitting response to a crisis. My thesis recommends incorporating rhetorical theory, specifically the theory of the rhetorical situation, to bridge theory and practice and provide students with flexible theory to learn how to respond …

Full Issue

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

No abstract provided.

New Festschrift Explores Scripture And Ancient World

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

When Richard L. Anderson retired from the Religious Education faculty at Brigham Young · University in 1996, the Department of Religious Education and FARMS agreed to sponsor a Festschrift (a compilation of essays written in honor of an individual) that would commemorate his distinguished academic career. The positive response from Anderson's friends and colleagues who wished to contribute to the publication has resulted in two volumes of scholarly articles.

Dead Sea Scrolls Traveling Exhibit Update

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

As reported in last month's issue of INSIGHTS, a free exhibit featuring Dead Sea Scroll replicas and artifacts is touring the Midwest until 15 August 2000. The LDS Church, BYU, and FARMS organized the traveling exhibit, which has drawn large, appreciative crowds at its various stops at LDS stake centers.

Recent Farms Books On The Dead Sea Scrolls

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Since their initial discovery in 1947, the Dead Sea Scrolls have stirred public curiosity. For Latter-day Saints, who believe in the coming forth of sacred records in the last days, the scrolls give rise to such questions as Are there references to Christ or Christianity in the scrolls? Is the plan of salvation attested in the scrolls? Do the scrolls refer to Joseph Smith or other latter-day figures? This short book succinctly deals with these and other questions on topics of particular interest to LDS readers.

Lecture Series Continues To Inform, Advance Research

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

The noontime lecture series sponsored by FARMS continues to keep the BYU campus community and other interested persons abreast of current research on scripture-related topics. Since the beginning of the year, several researchers have reported on their work in order to share their findings, answer questions and receive constructive comment, and stimulate further research. Three lectures are reported below (next month's newsletter will continue the report).

New Edition Of Abraham In Egypt Released

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Eminent LDS scholar Hugh W. Nibley has long been a student and defender of the Book of Abraham. Now released in an enlarged and expanded second edition, Nibley's Abraham in Egypt (originally published by Deseret Book in 1981) focuses on the authenticity of the Book of Abraham. The edition includes four new chapters and several new sections within existing chapters. Additionally, more than 100 helpful illustrations enhance the text, and meticulous source checking and a new documentation format make the references easier for the reader to navigate.

Evidence Surveyed For Book Of Mormon Authenticity, Old World-New World Contacts

Insights: The Newsletter of the Neal A. Maxwell Institute for Religious Scholarship

Two recent magazine articles on topics of interest in Book of Mormon studies are available from FARMS as reprints (see the order form).

The first article, "Mounting Evidence for the Book of Mormon," by Daniel C. Peterson, appeared in the January 2000 issue of the Ensign magazine. The article explains the role of Book of Mormon scholarship, notes the tremendous surge in publications of that kind in recent years, and highlights secondary evidence that supports the book's claim to ancient origins and inspired translation.

Descriptions, Ecological Associations And Predictive Species Distribution Models Of New Species Of Psilochalcis Kieffer (Hymenoptera; Chalcididae) Occurring In Utah's Eastern Great Basin, Mark J. Petersen

Theses and Dissertations

The genus Psilochalcis, of the Family Chalcididae, was originally described in 1905 by Kieffer. Mainly considered an Old-World taxon, the first North American Psilochalcis were not identified until 1981 by Grissell and Schauff. Little is known about the species distributions, biologies and ecological relationships of these parasitic wasps. This dissertation describes research conducted in central Utah setting arrays of Malaise traps in 4 different habitat types common to the Great Basin at three separate locations. A result of this sampling revealed a high abundance of multiple species of Psilochalcis wasps, particularly from one location and two habitat types. Chapter 1 …

Strength And Durability Of Plastic Clays Treated With Cement Or Lime, Tyler D. Mickelson

Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this research was to compare the efficacy of portland cement to that of lime for improving the strength and durability of plastic clays. The scope of work associated with this research involved laboratory strength and durability testing of three plastic clays treated with portland cement or lime. To ensure a broad application of the work, the clays were obtained from three different regions of the United States, specifically from project sites near Bloomington, Indiana; San Antonio, Texas; and Monticello, Utah. Laboratory testing included evaluation of selected properties of the three clays in the untreated condition and in …

Simulating Design Experiences For New Instructional Designers: A Case Study, Melissa Franklin

Instructional Psychology and Technology Graduate Student Projects

In this case study, I discuss designing, developing, and implementing three digital, interactive simulations for a redesigned graduate-level Introduction to Instructional Design course. The redesign of the course was intended to address students' expressed desires to master instructional design practice and theory, gain more confidence in their knowledge of and skill in the ID process, and receive more guidance and feedback throughout an authentic instructional design experience. The first simulation aims to give students an interactive overview of an authentic process. The other two simulations come at crucial moments in the course where students can practice skills in client relationships …

Use And Misuse Of X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (Xps): Reproducibility, Gross Errors, Data Reporting, And Peak Fitting, George Hobbs Major

Theses and Dissertations

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is the most widely used surface analysis technique for chemically probing surfaces. Its popularity stems from the large amount of information that can be gathered about the electronic states of the atoms it probes, including core shell information and valence electron information. Simple qualitative analysis (peak identification) can often be performed, but quantitative analysis is a much more complicated process. Although XPS usage has increased dramatically, so has the amount of erroneous analysis observed in the literature. In my thesis, I first present a perspective on how to improve the quality of surface and material data …

A Survey Of Graph Neural Networks On Synthetic Data, Brigham Stone Carson

Theses and Dissertations

We relate properties of attributed random graph models to the performance of GNN architectures. We identify regimes where GNNs outperform feedforward neural networks and non-attributed graph clustering methods. We compare GNN performance on our synthetic benchmark to performance on popular real-world datasets. We analyze the theoretical foundations for weak recovery in GNNs for popular one- and two-layer architectures. We obtain an explicit formula for the performance of a 1-layer GNN, and we obtain useful insights on how to proceed in the 2-layer case. Finally, we improve the bound for a notable result on the GNN size generalization problem by 1.

Progressive Education In C. S. Lewis's Prince Caspian, Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, And The Silver Chair: Narnia As A Remedy To The Green Book, Megan Marie Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Recent scholarship has taken an interest in C. S. Lewis's political views and how they are manifested in his fiction. However, few have thoroughly analyzed the specific political implications of his children's series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Part of this may be because Lewis himself insisted his fiction was nonpartisan. The heavily religious allegories in the series can also overshadow the political commentary. This thesis contributes to the growing discourse on political commentary in Lewis's fiction by identifying four concerns he had with progressive education and then demonstrating how he criticizes them in Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn …

Language Ideology In The Actfl Speaking Proficiency Guidelines, Sonja A. Mecham

Theses and Dissertations

This paper examines language ideology in the ACTFL (American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) 2012 speaking proficiency guidelines using the method of critical rhetoric analysis. Language ideologies, a concept borrowed from linguistic anthropology, are the ways people and organizations conceptualize and talk about language. In this paper, I explore how the ACTFL speaking proficiency guidelines discuss proficient language. Since these guidelines are widely used and highly respected, it is necessary for those who use them to understand what ideologies of proficiency they express. Therefore, this study also discusses how the language ideologies in the guidelines may impact consequential …

Open Educational Resources And Equity: Lived Experiences Of Minoritized Educators, Jacob Rogers

Theses and Dissertations

Open educational resources (OER) have been heralded for their ability to provide educational equality amongst learners worldwide. While this possibility offers to transform the availability of educational materials with only very specific limitations (devices, bandwidth, and ability to engage), it is seriously noted that the production of OER is typically sourced from the same homogenous sources as traditionally published texts (e.g., white males at elite universities in the U.S.). Additionally, while there are emboldened strides towards equality (equal access to materials), there remains an educational gap providing educational equity (equal opportunity to succeed) in the design as well as the …

Afrikaans Taboo Words: Offensiveness Ranking And Reflections In Usage, Rebecca Brenkman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the offensiveness of Afrikaans taboo words gathered from an online survey and cross-compares it to grammatical constructions and functionality as displayed in an Afrikaans corpus. Culturally speaking, Afrikaans has a rich history of taboo terminology, especially in the racial category. The historical importance of taboo terms aids in understanding the evolution of the offensiveness of terms, especially as influenced by factors such as politics, attitude shifts, younger generations, etc. Results from the online survey focused primarily on the White Afrikaans-speaking population, as minimal responses were gathered from other ethnic groups. Additional findings from the survey indicated that …