Digital Commons Network^™

Advancing The Vision, Liberty University

May/June 2008

No abstract provided.

To Give Or Not To Give; Attributions Of Philanthropy Motivation In Fundraising Letters, Chelsey N. Willis

Masters Theses

Bernard Weiner’s work with attribution theory and help giving is used in this study to explore two research questions on communication in fundraising. First, the study looks at how communication from a cancer centre foundation effectively motivates their community and local philanthropists to give money to their program. The study also looks at how the donor’s response motivates the foundation to continue to attract donations. Three hypotheses were made and tested. This study started with a textual analysis of appeal letters from a cancer centre. Letters, based on the textual analysis, were then created as the variables for the study …

To Watch Or Not To Watch? That Is The Question. Identifying The Common Characteristics Of The Reality Television Viewing Audience, Laura Sipple

Masters Theses

Reality television shows are increasingly appearing on network and cable outlets each sea¬son. Not only are they advancing in number, they are consistently dominating the weekly Nielsen’s Top 10 ratings as well. This study seeks to identify the reality television show viewing audience, why captivated their interest to begin watching these shows and what kept them watching week-to-week. By identifying participants who consistently watched these programs, it was believed that various themes would arise out of this study for further analysis and comparison. In-depth qualitative interviews were utilized to further explore the following areas: (1) Who are the consistent viewers …

Eating Disorders: A Study Of University Type And Prevalence, Emily C. Riggins

Senior Honors Theses

Disordered eating has become an increasing problem, especially in western culture. A study was conducted to determine a possible relationship between disordered eating among college students and type of university. Previous studies allude to the possibility of private evangelical colleges yielding more eating disorders than private non-evangelical and public colleges. College students at two east coast universities were compared on the Eating Attitudes Test and a demographic questionnaire. The research indicated that prevalence of eating disorders is not significantly different between private evangelical institutions and private non-evangelical institutions. The findings show some background, prevalence, causes, and theoretical explanation of eating …

Education For Woman’S Ministries: A Rationale For And Review Of Woman’S Ministries For The Beginning Of The 21st Century, Monica Dawn Rose

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this project is to provide a theoretical basis for the development of programs for women in the church and Christian ministries. The author will approach this project by first defining women’s ministries as well as presenting the two predominant evangelical views of women in ministry. This project will also provide an overview of issues women encounter and the needs women have in today’s culture. After presenting a need analysis, the author will provide an overview of academic institutions training women in the field of women’s studies and/or ministries as well as curriculum being used to equip women …

A Historical-Critical Examination Of North Korea's Juche Ideology Using Fantasy Theme Analysis: A Vision Transformed, Matthew Warner

Masters Theses

Scholarship on the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is severely limited due to the secretive nature of Kim Jong Il and his regime; much of this secrecy and, generally, the closed nature of North Korean society is due in part to an ideology based on self-reliance, Juche. Through a communication scholarship based rhetorical examination this thesis aims to understand and explain how Kim Il Sung and Kim Jong Il have been able to create and sustain the Juche ideology in spite of North Korea’s poor economic and social condition. The research traces the evolution of North Korea’s Juche ideology from …

The Relationship Between Boards Of Education And The Superintendents In Michigan's Upper Peninsula: The Superintendents' Perspectives, Timothy D. Hall

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The relationship between a board of education and superintendent is one of the most critical in a school district. Research has shown that a positive working relationship between a school board and superintendent has positive effects on a school district. This study examined the perceived relationships between the superintendents of the school districts in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and their boards of education, from the perspective of the superintendents. School districts in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula face declining enrollments and budgetary shortfalls. The intent of the study was to determine if the superintendents’ perception of their relationships with their boards …

A History And Evaluation Of The Revolution Generation Youth Ministries Mentorship Program, William Lee Barnett

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

A review of academic and Para-church organizations reveals that few programs exist that provide a balance of academic and professional preparation for youth ministers. Revolution Generation Youth Ministries has attempted to design such a program. The purpose of this project is to explore the history and design of the Revolution Generation Mentorship Program and evaluate it in comparison to such programs. This evaluation will be accomplished through a programmatic comparison with the standards of the Association for Biblical Higher Education, accredited college programs and other internship programs. The information gathered will be utilized to strengthen the Revolution Generation Mentorship Program.

The Role Of Preaching In Church Growth, In Hwan Kim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this dissertation is to illuminate the role of biblical preaching in church growth and change, and to understand how to better facilitate growth and change in Korean Protestant Churches. The association between preaching and church growth was investigated and delineated based on literature reviews, on the studies and sermon collections of Dong-won Lee, senior pastor of Global Mission Church, and on the questionnaire survey from members of GMC. I would like this study to contribute to the restoration of biblical preaching, church growth, and church transition in cell church ministry within Korean Protestant Churches.

Understand The Misunderstanding: A Study Incorporating Uses And Gratifications Theory On Why Chinese Film Audiences See America The Way They Do, Meng Zhao

Masters Theses

The Uses and Gratifications Theory states that audiences are active and they seek satisfactions when selecting media. This theory redirects the typical theoretical emphasis on media content to an emphasis on the active audience. The present study focuses on this theory by evaluating the gratifications Chinese audiences receive when watching American films. It discovers gratifications Chinese audiences seek in films, in general, and how their gratifications may be fulfilled by watching American films. The preference for American films among a majority of Chinese audiences would likely affect Chinese audiences’ understanding of the American culture. To be more precise, the study …

04-29-08 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 25, Issue 22)

2007 -- 2008

No abstract provided.

Missionary English Teaching: The English Language, Western Culture, And Christianity, Derek J. Kresge

Senior Honors Theses

Teaching English as a missionary has become a significantly larger field in the recent years. These missionaries are confronted with a unique set of circumstances in which they perform their service. As English teachers, these missionaries are faced with the dilemma of teaching as best they can while at the same time living as followers of Christ in cultures that may be opposed to Christ as well as to the Western culture. This thesis unwraps the issues involved and discusses possible solutions to the problems that present themselves for missionary English teachers.

Escherichia Coli And Antibiotic Resistance To Tetracycline Antibiotics, Taylor L. Dodgen

Senior Honors Theses

Escherichia coli cells growing under ideal conditions are able to complete one reproduction cycle in as little as every twenty minutes. Since so many generations are able to be observed, one should theoretically be able to observe thousands of generations and determine evolution’s effects over a short period of time. In this experiment, E. coli K12 cells were cultured under ideal growth conditions but in the presence of antibiotics as a selective environmental stress in order to select for resistance. This was accomplished by serially passing colonies that were in close contact with two different, but similar antibiotics over a …

04-22-08 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 25, Issue 21)

2007 -- 2008

No abstract provided.

Monsters, Of Whom I Am Chief: A Metaphoric And Generic Criticism Of Jars Of Clay’S Concept Video, Good Monsters, Jennifer R. Brown

Senior Honors Theses

Images of Frankenstein and the boogeyman no doubt come to mind when one thinks of monsters. Can a monster be “good”? What does it mean to be something typically personified as bad and yet apply such a contradictory adjective? What do men dancing in brightly colored costumes have to do with people dying every day in sub-Saharan Africa and other parts of the world? These are just some of the questions inspired by a curious and unforgettable artifact.

This study is a rhetorical analysis of the Jars of Clay song and concept video, Good Monsters. Within the professional and social …

Christians Within Journalism: Applications For People Of Faith Entering The Field, Jen Slothower

Senior Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to provide practical advice for an evangelical Christian entering the field of journalism. Two ways for Christians to work within journalism were examined throughout the research process: one, Christian publications and two, Christian people working at secular publications, which is given the bulk of the attention. Research included various books and articles on journalism, journalism history, and people of faith in various occupations. Marvin Olasky, a leader in Christian journalism, was interviewed, as was Dr. David Aikman, a Christian who worked within secular journalism. The results of this research provide information for Christians entering secular journalism, from …

The Development Of A Legend: Stonewall Jackson As A Southern Hero, Andrew R. Chesnut

Senior Honors Theses

Throughout history, most individuals have lived their lives, and then faded into oblivion with little to remember them by. Relatively few receive credit for significantly affecting the course of human history and obtain appropriate remembrance in accounts of the past. For those whose memories endure, due to the unrepeatable nature of past events, history remains vulnerable to the corrupting influence of myths and legends that distort historical realities. Confederate Lieutenant General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson (1824-1863) serves as a prime example of an historical figure, who, though deserving of his place in history, has been subsequently distorted by biographers and memory. …

Pidginization Exemplified In Haitian-Creole And Tok-Pisin, Jennifer C. Schuit

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the sociolinguistic process of pidginization and to show how Haitian Creole of Haiti and Tok-Pisin of Papua New Guinea are living examples of this process. This will be accomplished in three ways: by giving a synopsis of both countries’ histories and thus showing how the nature of contact between the European and indigenous people both initiates and shapes the process of language creation and transformation; by examining the theoretical life-cycle of pidginization and some elements of simplification still evident in Haitian Creole and Tok-Pisin today; and by discussing the current status and …

Local Bacteriological Survey: Isolation And Characterization Of Bacteria In Two Lynchburg Parks, Rachel S. Hassenpflug

Senior Honors Theses

Water samples were collected from the bodies of water at Peaks View Park and Percival’s Isle Park in Lynchburg, Virginia in two separate trials per collection site. The samples were filtered to isolate bacteria present in the water. The filters were placed on Trypticase Soy Agar (TSA) and Eosin Methylene Blue (EMB) plates and incubated to obtain colony counts of the bacteria. Subsequently, distinct colonies were selected from the filtration plates and streaked for isolation. Isolates were subjected to a variety of analytical methods and thereby identified by genus and species. Fifteen different species were identified from twenty-three different samples. …

Shaping Future Generations, Lynnea D. Strathdee

Senior Honors Theses

Due to the extent and variety of research available on the topic of child-targeted advertising, it was determined that an appraisal of the current state of the situation was necessary in order to determine the best course of action. After summarizing the history of children’s advertising and considering the arguments on both sides of the debate – from the children’s advocates and the advertising industry – the previously recommended solutions were evaluated in the paper. Each of these possible solutions were considered, and led to the proposal of a best solution. Supported by research, the best solution advocated a joint …

Protein Phosphorylation And A Novel Phosphatase In The Cyanobacterium Anabaena, Robert A. Mullis Jr.

Senior Honors Theses

The focus of this paper is a dual-specific protein phosphatase (DSP) previously found in the periplasm of the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120 that may regulate circadian rhythms in that organism. To fully understand the topic, summaries of enzyme action, cyanobacteria, circadian rhythms, and phosphorylation cycles are required and therefore discussed in this report before the presentation of previous and current laboratory research centered on the phosphatase.

A continuous cyanobacterial culture was maintained while cells were collected for harvesting periplasm. Tests to determine size, enzyme activity, and protein content were performed on the periplasm of the bacterial cells. Initial findings revealed …

The Influence Of The Brazilian Dictatorship On Brazilian Music: A Rhetorical Analysis Of Protest Songs, Fernanda P. Rezende

Senior Honors Theses

In 1964, Brazil suffered a military coup that established a dictatorship in the country until 1985. During this period, the armed forces used unrestrained violence to suppress the opposition, and the government placed a heavy censorship on the media and the arts. Music was a targeted area due to its great influence on society, especially on the youth, and many songwriters and singers were exiled. In order to escape from the censors and still be able to convey a revolutionary message to the people, they had to use different literary devices and create new methods of writing. It was in …

04-08-08 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 25, Issue 20)

2007 -- 2008

No abstract provided.

The Enemy In The Screen: A Collective Case Study On Perpetrators Of Internet Crimes Against Children, Janet M. Brown

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This collective case study explored the phenomenon of Internet crimes against children from the perspectives of select Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigators. The research focused on three questions: (1) How do select investigators describe perpetrators of Internet crimes against children? (2) What, if any, common characteristics do participants identify among the perpetrators and (3) How do participants' descriptions compare and/or contrast? Data was obtained utilizing semistructured, conversational interviews with eight ICAC investigators. Three main themes emerged from these interviews: general demographic descriptions, motivations and behaviors. Perpetrators of Internet crimes against children were found to be predominantly non-Hispanic males. Other …

Christianity And Libraries: A Selective Bibliography, Gregory A. Smith

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Provides an introduction to a searchable bibliography of 340 sources that explore various connections between Christian faith and practice, on the one hand, and the world of libraries and information, on the other. Explains the rationale for the bibliography and describes its scope and content. Provides eight tips for successful searching.

Entering The Virtual Teacher’S Lounge: The Efficacy Of Community In Computer-Mediated Communication Based Environments For Professional Educators, Randall S. Dunn

Faculty Dissertations

This study seeks to illuminate an understanding of naturally forming online communities of professional educators in the context of off-line communities. Essentially, an online discussion forum for educators is evaluated for the purpose of determining whether the forum provides a “space” conducive for the development of a community of professional educators as benchmarked against an understanding of offline community formation and existence. The foundational works of Ferdinand Tonnies, James Coleman, and Ray Oldenburg are used to develop 13 characteristics of community - as understood in the context of informal social communities as opposed to the types related to more formal …

Life-Long Learning: Inspiring 87-Year-Old Graduates Through Distance Learning Program, Liberty University

March/April 2008

No abstract provided.

Students’ Winning Artwork On Display, Liberty University

March/April 2008

No abstract provided.

A Man To Love, A Story To Tell, Liberty University

March/April 2008

No abstract provided.

Role Of Spirituality In Persons Choosing A Career In Education: Calling As A Motivating Factor, Jared Bigham

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The job of a teacher undergoes more scrutiny and accountability with each passing year. The esteem for the profession and extrinsic rewards do not increase commensurately to the ever growing challenges that teachers encounter. It therefore raises the question what motivates a teacher to enter such a profession? Many teachers in the profession say they answered a calling to teach. This phenomenological study examined the role that spirituality plays in persons choosing a career in education. Participants were chosen from college students who were in their methods semester of training. The participants were interviewed, and the dialogue was analyzed for …