Digital Commons Network^™

Arpa Pulls Through For Library Funding And Broadband Assistance, David Sye

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) featured stimulus checks, extended unemployment benefits, and funds COVID-19 vaccines. It also provides $200 million in funding for the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). In addition to supporting the IMLS, ARPA also included additional provisions for broadband assistance, such as funds to be appropriated towards schools and libraries to support remote learning.

Adaptive Plasticity Of Coloration In Response To Environmental Change, Karissa Coffield

Scholars Week

When rapid environmental changes occur, different selective forces can create phenotypic trade-offs in which a trait can provide fitness benefits or costs under different environmental conditions. Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to environmental change, and previous research has revealed that some species will plastically respond to variation in temperature and ultra-violet radiation (UVR) by altering their coloration. Divergent selection on coloration may change with elevation and climate induced shifts in temperature because high temperatures are likely to result in lighter color morphs but as elevation increases, UVR exposure increases leading to the prediction that darker color morphs will be more common. …

Using Modeling To Investigate Factors Driving Avian Diversity In Urban Ecosystems, Clay Bliznick

Scholars Week

Anthropogenic influences have altered global landscapes considerably throughout the past two centuries, resulting in the decline of natural land cover types. Conversely, land cover types such as cropland and urban areas that are derived from human activities have experienced vast expansion. This landscape transition has serious implications for ecosystem services. To mitigate the loss of these services, it is necessary to maintain ecological integrity within these anthropogenically-influenced systems. Being able to support high biodiversity is an indicator of well-functioning ecosystems, thus quantifying biodiversity and assessing its contributing factors can be useful for developing management strategies in artificial environments. Our objective …

Entertainment Media Perceptions Of Minorities In Young Adult Adaptations, Kynnadie Bennett

Scholars Week

This is an exploration of stereotypical and racist portrayals of minorities, specifically African-American, Latinx, and Native American communities, in film and television in the past and how that has affected representation in film adaptations of young adult literature. Young adult literature is one of the highest-selling genres in literature, purchased by both young adults and actual adults. In recent years, young adult literature has been adapted into film and television series and while representation has improved since the early years of entertainment history, there are still problems in the industry: many of the stereotypes remain, some minorities lack representation, and …

Notations, Notations

Student Scholarship & Creative Works

NOTATIONS: THE UNDERGRADUATE LITERARY MAGAZINE OF MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY

SPRING 2021

It is our great pleasure to present the 2021 edition of Notations, a journal of undergraduate poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction produced by students in the Department of English and Philosophy at Murray State University. After a brief hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are excited to share this edition with you.

Editing Staff

Jenna Carnes, Creative Nonfiction Editor Torrey Diniz, Creative Nonfiction Editor

Pam Goodwin, Fiction Editor Gabby Sullivan, Fiction Editor

Makenna Crowley, Poetry Editor Kaylan Hall, Poetry Editor

Dr. Carrie Jerrell, Faculty Advisor

Table of Contents …

Embedded Online Information Literacy Using Canvas Commons, David Sye, Megan Wilson

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

As Murray State University began offering more online courses and programs, it became apparent by the spring of 2019 that the Libraries needed to address distance and online learners’ information literacy needs. We were concerned about being able to reach all of the courses that needed instruction, such as courses taught in high schools through our dual credit program. We estimated that only about 30 percent of our targeted general education courses were being reached through our face-to-face instruction program. Although the Libraries previously offered online video instruction upon request, the videos lacked standardization across disciplines and were not available …

Makayla Tapp Art399 Portfolio, Makayla Tapp

Professional Practices (ART 399)

My artwork is spurred from past experiences and memories, ocean life, and family, often combining several different influences into one work. I am drawn to concepts such as childhood/nostalgia, memories, misplacement, and the unknown, in both my own works and others’. I have a deep connection to the ocean and like to incorporate it into my work as well. My process usually includes looking at other peoples’ work in order to spur my thinking. This means looking at their processes and techniques, which often gives me ideas and encourages my own thinking for a piece. I then begin looking at …

Rising, Elaine C. Fitzgerald

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

I have always been fascinated with the vastness of nature. It comes with this feeling of importance and magnitude that I want to capture. My show draws attention to the wonders of nature that are being lost to climate change. One the one hand, I want to give the viewer an appreciation and sense of wonder for these pockets of nature; I focus on the sublimity of these places, designing for five national parks that are being greatly affected by climate change. On the other, I want the viewer to understand that these spaces are being lost. I feel that …

Karen Colorado Art399 Portfolio, Karen Colorado

Professional Practices (ART 399)

In my work I strive to communicate my relationship with my ethnicity and the role that Latine people are playing in our current social and political climate. Most of my art thus far has dealt with different themes and hardships that come with being Hispanic/Latino in America.

The current body of work that I’m developing talks primarily about how people move from one place to another, with a focus on the US-Mexico border crisis. The pieces often portray the landscapes people move through, the things they take with them for survival, and what the homes of these bodies look like …

Morph- And Sex-Specific Differences In Corticosterone Of The Arizona Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma Mavortium Nebulosum), Megan Zerger

Scholars Week

Life history morph, sex, and body condition are traits that may influence stress within salamander populations because of differences in physiology and environmental conditions. Given widespread declines and the effects chronic stress can have on amphibian health, it is important to understand within-population drivers of stress and how population level variation may influence population viability. Thus, the objective of our study was to assess how corticosterone varies within the Arizona tiger salamander (Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum) population at the Mexican Cut Nature Preserve. We used a non-invasive skin swabbing method to collect baseline and elevated corticosterone from paedomorph (aquatic …

Understanding Relationships Between Stress, Snake Fungal Disease, And Parasitism In Wild Cottonmouth Snake Populations, Emma Fehlker Campbell

Scholars Week

Chronically raised stress levels are known to correlate with decreased immune function in vertebrates, possible leading to increased susceptibility to infections including parasitism and Snake Fungal Disease (SFD). Helminth endoparasites and Hemoparasites are frequently found in wild populations but little is known about their physiological effects. Additionally, parasite infection may have interactive effects with diseases including SFD. To our knowledge few studies have assessed potential interactions between SFD and parasites in snakes. Thus, the objective of our study is to assess the individual and interactive effects of Helminth endoparasites, hemoparasites, and snake fungal disease on cottonmouth physiological stress. We are …

Soil Quality As Affected By Hemp And Grain Production Systems In Western Kentucky, Jack Eaker

Scholars Week

Since 2018, hemp cropping systems have become increasingly popular in Kentucky. However, there is limited data on soil’s behavior/changes under these management practices as compared to corn and soybean cultivation systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine soil characteristics including soil organic matter, bulk density, water holding capacity, macroporosity, and water at field capacity in hemp and grain cropping systems. The thirty undisturbed soil samples were collected from three different hemp fields and a corn, soybean, and a bare field adjacent to these hemp fields. Each field was located at Murray State University West Farm, Calloway County, …

The Effects Of [Diatomic Gas] On Hemp Growth In Western Kentucky, Alexandria Riddle

Scholars Week

Hemp cultivation has been increasing in popularity in western Kentucky and presenting its many uses to farmers and consumers worldwide. This new crop has intrigued those in the agriculture industry and convinced many farmers to venture away from their comfort zone and plant hemp in their fields. Many farmers have taken the risk of growing hemp causing a demand for ways to continuously improve their crop. This experiments main purpose is to be a proof of concept for delivering [diatomic gas] water to hemp plants to identify possible effects on growth. Practices used in conducting this study included the use …

The Storm Is Coming: Analyzing The Belief In Q-Anon, Hillary Copeland

Scholars Week

The Storm is Coming: Analyzing the Belief in Q-Anon

Conspiracy theories can broadly be defined as constructed attempts to provide monocausal explanations for high-profile social and political events with a premise of secretive malicious intent to further push the agenda of powerful, evil-minded groups that seek to pursue goals in direct opposition of less powerful groups (Douglas, Sutton, & Cichocka, 2017; van Prooijen & van Vugt, 2018). One conspiracy theory which has recently gained prominence is known as Q-Anon. Proponents of Q-Anon believe that criminals have risen to power who abuse children and take advantage of Americans to advance their …

Nurse-To-Patient Ratios On Patient Safety And Outcomes Within Inpatient Settings, Nicholas Odom, Jackson Allen Buechlein

Scholars Week

Nurse to patient ratios are at the forefront among healthcare safety initiatives within hospitals nationwide. •Higher nurse patient ratios force nurses to spend less time with patients, decreasing therapeutic interventions that are nonpharmacological. Much of the interventions that are not absolutely required then fall by the wayside and nurses spend the only time available on doing only the most vital tasks. However, in order to improve patient outcomes, and to promote holistic healing, reasonable nurse to patient ratios have to be implemented.

A Virtual Life: The Nijisanji Project And The Risks Of Online Content Creation, Cayden Hernandez

Scholars Week

There are several security and privacy risks within the realm of social media and the lifestyles of social media influencers. Some YouTubers and other content creators, however, are under contract with certain agencies and sponsors, giving access to assistance in case of privacy breaches, such as information doxing. However, Virtual YouTubers (VTubers) and content creators are in a different category, as they are typically represented by a virtual avatar, which suggests that they are more protected; similar to typical content creators, though, VTubers are also at risk. If their information were leaked, the outcome could be more severe than that …

The Music Of Japanese Animation, Danielle Toney

Scholars Week

Danielle Toney

Graduating in May, Danielle is a Japanese major with a minor in Music. Danielle has been studying Japanese for 6 years, and went to Doshisha University in Kyoto for two semesters in 2019 for an intensive study abroad program. Danielle has been active in Murray State’s Japanese Club for 4 years, which includes being Vice President in Fall of 2020. Danielle is also active in Murray State’s Japanese Language Table and practices speaking Japanese weekly with colleagues and friends. After graduation, Danielle will return to Kyoto to study Music Composition at Kyoto City University of Arts.

The Music …

Put Yourself In Their Shoes: Empathy And Thinking Patterns, Tyler Robinson

Scholars Week

Fewer social maxims are repeated more than to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes.” This sentiment encourages empathy by prompting one to change their entrenched thinking patterns. Empathy can be thought of as an active attempt to understand another’s perspective or the visceral sensation of identifying with another's emotions (i.e., cognitive or affective empathy; Davis, 1983). Recently, research has identified a relationship between empathy and self-serving cognitive distortions (Grieve & Panebianco, 2013). Cognitive distortions refer to predictable and inaccurate patterns of thinking. Self-serving cognitive distortions are a form of distorted thinking patterns that are steeped in self-centered attitudes, thoughts, and …

Covid-19 And Its Effects On Psychological Distress Among Us Adults, Mandi Clark

Scholars Week

The COVID-19 global pandemic has had a profound impact on the mental health conditions of US adults. Even people with no pre-existing mental health conditions are at risk for psychological distress because of the impact the virus has on everyday life (Holingue et al., 2020). When examining the psychological distress during the pandemic, it is important to understand the effects of fear of COVID-19, isolation, unemployment, and financial distress. These factors may generate negative consequences in the form of stress, anxiety, and depression. Participants (N=314; mean age = 37; 61% male) recruited through the MTURK database answered a survey that …

Benefits Of Delayed Cord Clamping, Madison Martin, Chloe Robertson

Scholars Week

Our evidence-based practice project focuses on the benefits of delaying cord clamping. To guide our research, we used Sister Castilla Roy’s Adaptation Model of Nursing. Our research we used supports that delaying cord clamping is best for not only the baby, but also for the mother as well. We believe that a policy on delayed cord clamping should be implemented in order for health and adaption goals to be met.

Therapeutic Communication In Nursing Care, Evidence Obara

Scholars Week

nursing care, therapeutic communication, implemented policy.

Physical Health And Delinquency, Katy Hancock

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

While physical health can impact a variety of outcomes, little research has looked at health and delinquency. Through a lens of GST, this study examines whether health moderates the relationships between strain and delinquency and drug use. Data from the 2011 NSDUH were analyzed; results indicated that, for certain strains, very good and excellent health predicted lower risks of committing some types of delinquency and poor/fair health predicted the higher risk. For youth in “no parent” homes in very good health and from some youth with chronic illness, however, the risk of delinquency increased. The overall results dictate the expansion …

Impacts Of Digestawell Nrg Supplementation On Post Exercise Muscle Soreness In Unconditioned Horses, A Pilot Study, Jessica K. Suagee-Bedore, Yeting Shen, Shea Porr, Ivan D. Girard, Karen Bennett-Winbrush, Ashley L. Wagner

Faculty & Staff Research and Creative Activity

Exercising horses are commonly plagued by muscle fatigue and soreness, which can result in reduced performance ability. In the present study, ten unconditioned horses were fed 200g per day DigestaWell NRG, a commercial dietary supplement containing Yucca schidigera and Trigonella foenum-graecum, two herbs shown in other species to reduce post-exercise muscle pain and soreness. A control, unsupplemented group contained ten horses of similar age, breed, and gender. Horses completed a 50 minutes, ridden standardized exercise test of moderate intensity immediately prior to (Period1) and after 28 days of supplementation (Period2). Muscle soreness and tightness were evaluated 24 hours prior …

Wound Care Nurses Becoming Quitline Providers And Teaching Patients About Smoking Cessation And Nicotine Replacement Therapy, Hannah Gilbert, Lakyn Rye

Scholars Week

Our evidence-based practice project focuses on wound care nurses becoming Quitline providers and teaching patients about smoking cessation and nicotine replacement therapy. To guide our research, we used Florence Nightingale’s Environmental Theory. Smoking is a modifiable risk factor that is a part of the patient’s environment. Our research we used supports that smoking can affect wound healing. We believe that wound care nurses should be trained in smoking cessation and nicotine replacement therapy prescribing to be an advocate to patients and their journey to wound healing.

Tracheostomy Education For Pediatric Patients And Parents, Jonathon Batts, Kendall Baker

Scholars Week

To begin this project, we found that this specific facility did not have proper education given to parents about pediatric tracheostomies. Pediatric patients with tracheostomies are a very delicate population that requires extensive, round the clock care. We were able to establish a theoretical framework with Orem’s Self-Care theory that matched very well with our topic, and finally we were able to find research articles that looked at this patient population specifically. The need for a tracheostomy in pediatric patients can lead to extreme anxiety in patients and parents. Our recommendations for this facility would be to implement the “Trach …

Preventing Insulin Storage And Administration Errors, Makena Reddick

Scholars Week

■The research problem was discovered when nurses were observed storing and administering insulin improperly. The objectives of this project were to find the correct policies for these procedures, obtain research that backed these policies, and present this information to nurses to create a safer habit. In researching, it was found that reducing the physical distance between a person completing work and the materials required to do so increased compliance (Gibbs & McLernon, 2017). In a second study, the delivery of safe, effective and high-quality care for patients with diabetes in the community is dependent upon (district) nurses having appropriate knowledge …

Prevention Of Pressure Ulcers, Lauren Venegoni, Jordan Daugherty

Scholars Week

Pressure ulcers are one of the most common challenges all healthcare settings face. Since this is such a prevalent issue in all of nursing, proper interventions need to be put in place to prevent an occurrence. Utilizing risk assessment tools, early mobilization, repositioning, preventive skin care measures, good nutrition, and prophylactic dressings are just a few ways in which nurses can prevent PUs. There is emerging research on the use of silicone dressings in conjunction with other preventive measures that need to be taken in order to improve patient outcomes.

Improving The Care Of Children With Diabetes In School Through Staff Education, Taylor Mckendree, Gina Piscatelle

Scholars Week

Background: Diabetes is a growing problem in the United States. The number of school-aged children with diabetes is increasing annually. Diabetes is a disease that requires ongoing management throughout the day. Since children spend a large portion of the day at school, it is imperative that all school staff are educated about the care and management of diabetes.

Results: Research has indicated that non-medical school staff lack knowledge and are not confident in the management of diabetes. There has also been research conducted on ways to improve school staff education through policies, presentations, and eLearning materials. The material presented to …

Naloxone In Schools, Aleece M. Passman, Emily Weber

Scholars Week

All across the world there is an opioid epidemic taking place that can affect any one person. It does not discriminate by age, gender, or ethnicity. Knowing this information, one group is greatly at risk and that is the school aged population. Teenagers are focused on wanting to fit in with peers, and are easily affected by peer pressure. This puts them at an increased risk for experimenting with drugs. This information pushed us to research about policies in place in school systems to help fight the epidemic. In 2017 2.2 million people of ages 12-17 were illicit drug users …

Mask Etiquette For Nurses During A Pandemic: N95 Respirators Vs. Surgical Masks, Haylee Shevlin, Carlin Jones

Scholars Week

Healthcare personnel are blatantly exposed to COVID-19 while at work. Incorrect PPE, inaccurate donning and doffing of PPE, and improper disinfection of masks for reuse is contributing to exposure of not only COVID-19, but other respiratory illnesses too. Throughout this presentation there is information as to when surgical masks and N95 respirators should be used as well as the correct procedure for donning and doffing of both masks. Proper disinfection for the reuse of both masks during a PPE shortage is also included.

Key words: N95 respirator, surgical mask, COVID-19, PPE