Digital Commons Network^™

The Effectiveness Of The Co-Requisite Model In Preparing College Students For Math Courses, Shauna Mullins

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Some form of academic support for underprepared students at the post-secondary level has been around since the 17^th century. This academic support has had several names such as tutoring, remediation and developmental education. With the growing need for academic support at the post-secondary level, universities are developing various ways to provide support to their students.

The focus of this study was the Co-requisite Model, particularly within Murray State University’s mathematics courses. Following IRB approval, archival data from undergraduate students were collected over three semesters in College Algebra and one semester in Mathematical Concepts courses. The pass rates of students …

Production Of Industrial Hemp In Kentucky, Patrick J. Hooks

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Hemp, or Cannabis sativa, is a plant that can be used for many products, such as textiles, oils, and seeds. Currently, the four most important textiles in the United States’ manufacturing industry are cotton, wood, silk, and linen. In the 1950s, the United States Government banned the production of hemp, as it was legislated into the marijuana policy of this industry. Because of this, the hemp crop was pushed out of the textile industry and replaced by cloth, linens, and textiles. Section 7606 of the Agriculture Act of 2014 declares the State Department of Agriculture’s legalization of industrial hemp …

Influence Of Soil And Plant-Plant Interactions On Growth And Flowering Of Two Potentially Dominant Bunchgrasses In The Longleaf Pine Ecosystem, James C. Groover

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Neighborhood interactions and edaphic conditions can help predict the distribution of species and the composition and structure of plant communities. The longleaf pine ecosystem of the southeastern U.S. provides an ideal setting in which to study interactions among dominant members of the understory community. Bunchgrasses provide the structure and fuel that enable frequent fires to mediate succession and maintain the extremely diverse understory community characteristic of the imperiled longleaf pine ecosystem. I investigated responses to bunchgrass neighborhood composition by wiregrass (Aristida stricta Michx.) and little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium [Michx.] Nash), two competing and potentially dominant C …

Prosthesis, Matthew Quin

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

“Prosthesis” is a collection of short fiction that explores, primarily, loss. Whether it’s the loss of a friend, the devastation in the wake of a failed marriage, or the emptiness that occurs when one’s overriding personal philosophy is suddenly suspect, the protagonists in each of the stories in this collection put themselves on trial, post-loss, and struggle to metabolize their new realities. The stories in this collection aren’t looking for answers, but rather to add to the rich history of self-aware literature that has preceded it; that life has no certainty, is never static; that the only way to effectively …

Public Stigma Towards The Presentation Of Self-Diagnosed Mental Illness, Asheley Marie Roberts

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Negative attitudes toward people with mental illnesses leads these individuals to utilize non-traditional avenues of support-seeking, including online venues. Within these venues, particularly the website Tumblr, the practice of self-diagnosing is common. At present, self-diagnosing is understudied, making it difficult to determine if self-diagnosed individuals face public stigma. Thus, one question about this phenomenon is as follows: are people who present themselves online as self-diagnosed stigmatized compared to those who present themselves as professionally diagnosed? The proposed thesis will address this question. Participants will view one of three Tumblr blogs (professionally diagnosed, self-diagnosed, and no diagnosis). It is hypothesized that …

A Study Of Kentucky School District Websites: They’Re Colorful And Informative….But Are They Ada Compliant?, John A. Huss, Shannon Eastep

Kentucky Teacher Education Journal: The Journal of the Teacher Education Division of the Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children

An often-overlooked component of a school district website is the necessity for that website to be accessible to those with disabilities, while following the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Workforce Rehabilitation Act. This study investigated the accessibility of school district websites in Kentucky by selecting a random sample of 50 school districts and analyzing their home pages using WAVE (Web Accessibility Versatile Evaluator), which reports accessibility violations by annotating a copy of the page that was evaluated and presenting embedded icons and indicators to disclose breaches with ADA. Out of 50 districts, …

2017-12-08, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

The Graphic Design Of Jason Moore, Jason Moore

Professional Practices (ART 399)

Artist Statement

As a Graphic Designer the goal of most of my work is to relay information to the viewer. I try to insert as much of myself into each work that I design and draw influence from Designers such as Michael Schwab, Massimo Vignelli and David Carson. Using typography and illustration to convey emotion and personality.

My art evokes a light and airy mood through the use of minimal color, negative space and geometric shapes. The mood of my work is reflected by my personality, easy going and kind, the work is reacted to visually by the viewer in …

Security Of The Internet Of Things (Iot), Tyler Williams, Jordan Frantsvog, Saeed Almalki

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The rapidly adopted idea of everyday devices being interconnected and being controllable from across the globe has come to be known as the Internet of Things (IoT). In every home or business there are now connected devices such as lights, locks, thermostats, and even medical devices which have created a much larger attack surface for every network and could increase the possibility of serious damage if they are compromised. Connected devices are even found in hospitals, power plants, and other secure facilities. Safety and security of networks are imperative not only for secure military installations or infrastructure sites, but also …

Phthalate And Non-Phthalate Plasticizers In Indoor Dust From Childcare Facilities, Salons, And Homes Across The Usa, Bikram Subedi, Kenneth Sullivan, Birendra Dhungana

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The quality of indoor environment has received considerable attention owing to the declining outdoor human activities and the associated public health issues. The prolonged exposure of children in childcare facilities or the occupational exposure of adults to indoor environmental triggers can be a culprit of the pathophysiology of several commonly observed idiopathic syndromes. In this study, concentrations of potentially toxic plasticizers (phthalates as well as non-phthalates) were investigated in 28 dust samples collected from three different indoor environments across the USA. The mean concentrations of non-phthalate plasticizers [acetyl tri-n-butyl citrate (ATBC), di-(2-ethylhexyl) adipate (DEHA), and di-isobutyl adipate (DIBA)] …

Pop-Up Aesop, Lacey Ellis

B.F.A. Practicum Exhibition (ART 498)

In Pop-up Aesop, I connect traditional Aesop Fables to their moral lessons uniquely through sequential illustration, typographical technique, muted colors, textured material and handcraft. Aesop Fables are usually represented by a singular illustration, if any, but the application of multiple illustrations and pop-up techniques give the morals of the stories a new opportunity to connect with the material of the books and have a more lasting and meaningful effect for the viewer.

By reading to my daughter I have been re-exposed to children’s literature. Experiencing the enjoyment a book can bring a child has inspired me to create children’s books …

2017-08-25, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

2017-08-24, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Book Review: The Flood Year 1927: A Cultural History

Jackson Purchase Historical Society Journal Archive

Book Review

The Flood Year 1927: A Cultural History

Matthew Himel

2017-06-09, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Inside Research: An Interview With Shannon Wood, Laura Guebert

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Inside Research: An interview with Shannon Wood

Conducted by Laura Guebert, co-editor, Steeplechase

Date recorded: Friday, February 10, 2017

Recording Location: Department of Music Recording Studio

2nd floor Doyle Fine Arts, Murray State University, Murray, KY

The Tipping Point: A Case Study Of The Bernie Sanders Movement And Hashtag Activism In The Postmodern Public Relations Perspective, Alissa Sommerfeldt

Steeplechase: An ORCA Student Journal

Within the field of public relations, professionals utilize case study methodology to research efficient public relations tactics and strategies. Specifically, a public relations case study is an-depth qualitative analysis of a particular public relations campaign performed by an organization, providing a vital tool for public relations scholars to study complex phenomena within their contexts (Baxter, 2008, p. 2).

This particular case study will be examining public relations in a deeper sense than the traditional view of public relations merely serving as a relationship management role within an organization. Instead, public relations activism as a demonstration of the postmodernist worldview will …

Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Polybrominated Biphenyls, Polychlorinated Dibenzo-P-Dioxins And Polychlorinated Dibenzofurans, Prasada Rao S. Kodavanti, Joseph Valdez, Jae-Ho Yang, Margarita Curras Collazo, Bommanna G. Loganathan

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Environmental contamination levels, human exposure, toxicokinetics, and health effects of PCBs, PBBs, PCDDs/PCDFs are discussed.

Hch And Ddt Residues In Indian Soil: Atmospheric Input And Risk Assessment, Paromita Chakraborty, Sanjenbam Nirmala Khuman, Bhupandar Kumar, Bommanna G. Loganathan

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

HCH and DDT Residues in Indian Soil: Atmospheric Input and Risk Assessment.

2017-02-24, Board Of Regents, Murray State University

Board of Regents Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.

Project Lead The Way 2017 Program Booklet, Project Lead The Way/Posters-At-The-Capitol

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Project Lead The Way 2017 Program Booklet

Contents:

Schedule of Activities

Map

Participant Listing

Student Abstracts

Posters-At-The-Capitol 2017 Program Booklet, Posters-At-The-Capitol

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Posters-at-the-Capitol 2017 Program Booklet

Contents:

Welcoming Remarks

Posters-at-the-Capitol Organizing Committee

Welcome Letter from Mr. Robert King

Schedule of Activities

Mezzanine Map

Participant Listings

Eastern Kentucky University

Kentucky State University

Kentucky Community & Technical College System

Morehead State University

Murray State University

Northern Kentucky University

University of Louisville

University of Kentucky

Western Kentucky University

Programs of Distinction

Student Abstracts

Framing The Talk: Scholarship As Conversation In The Health Sciences, Candace K. Vance

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Scholarship as Conversation, one of the threshold concepts in ACRL’s Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education, is and always will be an important concept for students to understand. The idea behind this frame has traditionally been introduced to students across the disciplines in the context of citing sources correctly, giving scholarly attribution, and avoiding plagiarism. These tenets are repeated in English class lectures, library orientations, as well as many other classes requiring research and writing. The Scholarship as Conversation frame continues to reflect these tenets in the knowledge practices; however, the frame has much broader implications that are crucial …

Healthcare Facilities Management, Harold Lucas

Integrated Studies

Abstract

Healthcare is an ever changing industry and signs show that this will most likely be the case for many years to come. In order to have healthcare, companies must have facilities in which to provide said care. This paper will focus on those facilities and what it takes to keep them operating at an optimum state. Facilities management is a quite broad topic when looking at any industry but when it comes to the facilities required to provide patient care the spectrum is mind boggling.

Healthcare facilities must have people to maintain them. These people are required to be …

The Playlist Of Life, Austen Lane

Integrated Studies

Music has helped shaped cultures, mold religions, entice revolutions and define generations. With so many contributions on a global scale it’s hard to forget this constant’s effect and importance on our own human psyche.

Motivation, solace, joy, and comfort are just a few of the basic human emotions people submerge themselves with listening to music. The purpose of my senior project is to prove that music perception is one of the strongest influences tied to human emotion and my goal is to support this theory not on paper… But through audio dialogue and music.

The following paper is a complimentary …

Exploring Adoption Options, Carolyn Cole

Integrated Studies

All across the world, there are thousands of children in need of adoptive parents to provide them with a loving and stable home. These children include newborns placed for adoption, children living overseas, and children within the state’s child welfare system. “Exploring Adoption Options” is written to provide a general guide to someone who is interested in adoption. Adoption is a very complex process and a life-changing experience. It involves many professionals, such as adoption agencies, attorneys, social workers, facilitators, and state operated child welfare services. Children available for adoption can be found domestically or internationally, some of which are …

A Place For Organic Farming In The Big Market?, John Cox

Integrated Studies

Farming is as vital to human existence as the air we breathe, and in turn, farming can and does definitely affect the air we breathe. It keeps our planet going and is a worldwide necessity and without farming, the human race would rapidly cease to exist. There is, however, debate regarding if we can continue to exist with the current farming practices found in the majority of farms worldwide and particularly within the United States. Therefore, the need to adapt and/or to control the natural impacts on farming is an ongoing and vitally important endeavor. The primary focus of this …

Precision Agriculture, Nathan Griffith

Integrated Studies

Farmers are looking for the best way to maximize profits and spend the least amount of money due to the constantly changing market in agriculture. Many different options have been explored from limiting herbicide programs to reducing rates on chemicals and trying to use to equipment longer to lower the cost. However, none of these have given results as expected. Precision agriculture is one fast growing industry; from auto guidance to completely autonomous tractors, it has no end in sight. Precision agriculture can be defined as the integration of information and production based farming system to achieve increased productivity while …

How Hazardous Chemicals And Minerals Affect Workers, Ryan Corrigan

Integrated Studies

Many people use products during their daily routines, which contain different chemicals and minerals, some of which are harmful. Of the approximate 650,000 different chemicals in use today, only a handful (that are hazardous) have limits assigned (called permissible exposure limits - PEL) that indicates to boundaries of safe exposure. Still, these PEL limits were mostly calculated over 30 years ago. Has nothing changed regarding these chemicals since the 1980s? Don’t we have better and faster scientific methods to test chemicals?

This paper provides some basic information regarding industrial hygiene and identifies and defines key terms and provides some insight …

Continuous Improvement Beyond Manufacturing, Andy Druin

Integrated Studies

This study examines Six Sigma, Lean, and Continuous Improvement systems in settings outside of it originating atmosphere of manufacturing; examples of these settings include healthcare, construction, and the utility industry. Enablers and inhibitors to successful implementation and sustainability are often challenging to identify for organizations during their infancy stages of continuous improvement. This study aims to clearly identify the enablers and inhibitors to optimize the process of utilizing continuous improvement in alternate industries. Methods used within this study include extensive literature review and interviews of individuals working within manufacturing, healthcare, and utility settings that have adopted and successfully implemented a …