Digital Commons Network^™

Student Characteristics Affecting Student Attitudes To The Evaluation Of Instructors, John P. Callahan

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Declining enrollments and continuing tuition increases are having major impact on all universities. It is a commonly accepted fact that the quality of a university can be directly related to the quality of its faculty. With this assumption in mind, a university must then determine the best method for evaluating the teaching effectiveness of its faculty members. The study is an examination of certain student characteristics that might affect the attitudes of students when evaluating instructors. Seven individual student characteristics (sex, age, academic level, major, nationality, teaching preference and leadership experience) were examined to determine if there was any relationship …

Simulation Of A Parallel Manufacturing Operations, Charles P. Cochran

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines a manufacturing process using a real time interface with a 6502 microprocessor that gives the appearance of parallel processing. Two separate processes are operated, apparently simultaneously with an asynchronous interface between the two processes. An Apple microcomputer, an ISAAC data transfer system and a constructed simulation model are used to demonstrate this process. The model is constructed of Fischertechnik manufactured parts for the support framework, as well as gearing devices, small DC electric motors, and sensing devices in the form of photo-electric switches and single pole double throw switches physically activated by the constructed model. The software, …

Initiation Of Speech Acts Among Older Brain Damaged Adults, Theresa A. Williams

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome On Homosexual Identity, Robert S. Schulman

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A study was conducted to assess the effect of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) on homosexual identity in a sample of homosexual men with an active AIDS diagnosis. Forty-two gay men with AIDS and 102 healthy gay men were handed questionnaires measuring various components of homosexual identity, broken down into 9 scales. A comparison of the total scores on these scales indicated that both groups of gay men had similar positive attitudes regarding their homosexuality.

An examination of paired scales between groups provided evidence that men with AIDS are experiencing increased conflicts with heterosexual society, anticipating greater discrimination resulting from …

Personality And Life Crisis Factors In Nurse Drug Users, Donna A. Roberts

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Sexual Activity In Psychotherapy: A Comprehensive Analysis, Steven B. Bisbing

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Adaptive Discrete Cosine Transform Image Compression Applied To Visual Flight Simulators, Nancy A. Burrell

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A visual flight simulator requires a huge amount of image data to be stored in the database. To make a photo-based system feasible an image compression scheme must be devised to compress the data.

An adaptive discrete cosine transform (DCT) technique is used to compress 24 bit color images to an average of 3 bits per pixel. The bits for the image are distributed based on the relative activity in different parts of the scene. Results and error analysis are presented.

Feasibility Investigation Into The Use Of A Liquid Crystal Television As A Spatial Light Modulator, Edward R. Raudenbush

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The recent availability of inexpensive, electrically addressable liquid crystal displays has generated interest in the use of such devices for optical processing applications. Characterizations pertinent to this use include: maximum obtainable modulation depth, modulation transfer function (MTF), linearity of response, refresh cycle time and optical flatness. Examples of device performance as a coherent processor and as an incoherent processor will be given.

Corrosion Ability And The Chemistry Of Mercuric Chloride And Related Compounds, Martin R. Kruger

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This research project found that a solution of methanol and methylene chloride saturated with mercuric chloride was very effective at diffusing through a paint film and destroying an aluminum barrier below. The project also found evidence that mercuric chloride chemically reacts with dimethylformamide and dimethysulfoxide. The project concluded that corrosion of metals in an organic solvent media is best studied by thermal analysis.

The Use Of Enlarged Feed Wells As Flocculator Units In Activated Sludge Secondary Clarifiers, Mahnaz Shahnami

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The quality of the effluent from activated sludge wastewater treatment plants is highly dependent on the performance of the final clarifier. The final clarifier performs solids/liquids separation through sedimentation. The standard design criteria (overflow rate and detention time) must be selected such that the effluent suspended solids requirements are met.

Numerous research programs have been conducted to evaluate the factors affecting the sedimentation efficiency of activated sludge mixed liquor. Flocculation has been documented as a significant factor. The flocculation process is an agglomeration of small primary particles of the surface of larger particles to achieve higher settling velocities. Increased settling …

Companding Flash Analog-To-Digital Converters, Michael P. Brig

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This report will demonstrate how a companding flash analog-to-digital converter can be used to satisfy both the dynamic range and resolution requirements of an infrared imaging system. In the past, infrared imaging systems had to rely on analog electronics to process a thermal image. This was costly and, in many ways, inefficient but the only way to perform the function. Digital processing was impractical because ADC conversion speeds were slow with respect to video frequencies. Furthermore, it is impossible to gain the necessary dynamic range using linear conversion techniques without large digital wordlengths. Therefore, the principles of companding flash analog-to-digital …

Intra Region Routing, Robert Alan Eustace

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The custom integrated circuit routing problem normally requires partitioning into rectangular routing regions. Natural partitions usually result in regions that form both "channels" and "areas". This dissertation introduces several new channel and area routing algorithms and measures their performance.

A formal description of the channel routing problem is presented and a relationship is established between the selection of intervals for each track and the number of tracks in the completed channel. This relationship is used as an analysis tool that leads to the development of two new and highly effective channel routing algorithms: the Revised and LCP algorithms. The performance …

Design Of A Laboratory Course In Embedded Computer Systems, Alexander Nikoloff

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

This research report discusses and presents the design of a university undergraduate level laboratory course introducing the topic of embedded computer systems. The course utilizes the Rainbow 100 computer and the Data Translation LDT2801 interface board to illustrate this concept.

Lab problems in Digital to Analog conversions, Analog to Digital conversions, Digital input/output, serial communication, motor drivers and parallel communication are presented, as are fully documented solutions. Suggested lecture material appropriate to the course is reviewed.

Behavioral Intention As A Function Of Value Attitude Inconsistency And Environmental Salience, Andrew Gamson

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

A Study Of Job Satisfaction As Perceived By The Certified Staff In Florida Public Elementary Schools, George A. Taylor

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to survey the subject certified staff of Florida public elementary schools to determine how elements of Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene Theory were perceived as being met in their current school employment. The descriptive study utilized an instrument that listed each of the 16 job factors in Herzberg’s theory. The instrument was designed to allow subjects to mark each job factor as contributing to their job satisfaction, neutral, or contributing to their job dissatisfaction. The instrument also had areas to record various biographical data regarding the subjects. The survey was conducted on a randomly selected subject group …

A Taxonomic Study Of Hawaiian Marchantia, Terri L. Roberts

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

The genus Marchantia occurs world-wide. The greatest diversity of described species occurs in the tropical Pacific. Fourteen species of Marchantia have been reported at different times from the Hawaiian Islands but when this study began seven species were recognized. A new technique for clearing thallus material enabled me to see and compare ambiguous characters. From studies of types and numerous additional collections from the islands, I determined that the seven species accepted actually belong to three taxa and one previously undescribed species was discovered. Comparison of Hawaiian plants with specimens, drawings and descriptions of extra-Hawaiian Marchantiae showed clearly that the …

Interactive Texturing For A Computer Graphics Display System, Yin L. Wah

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Surfaces have texture, and few surfaces are truly smooth in the real world, yet this is how they are modeled. Texturing provides the illusion of increased surface roughness or granularity, and it also gives the illusion of extra detail and realism. This is accomplished by modulating surface color based on gradient function known as texture pattern.

Changing texture pattern data can be expensive and time consuming since the change must be done on database offline system and then reloaded on the Computer Image Generator (CIG) for review of the change. The Interactive Generator (IAT) system is designed for online examination …

A Computer Simulation Of An Incoherent Optical Processor For Spatial Frequency Analysis, Randall T. Stratton

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

A computer simulation demonstrates the feasibility of a technique for performing spatial frequency analysis on an incoherent scene in one dimension using an electronically addressable spatial light modulator (SLM). By applying biased sinusoidal variation to the SLM transmittance, the real and imaginary parts of the Fourier transform are available and readily yield both magnitude and phase of the Fourier transform.

In addition to the Fourier transform this simulation investigates the use of a simple binary pulse train transform for the sake of reducing system complexity and increasing speed of operation.

Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Acquisition Design, John C. Fakatselis

Retrospective Theses and Dissertations

Spread spectrum communication techniques are utilized to provide transmission of signals which have anti-jamming properties, a low probability of being intercepted, and can support a multiple-access system by servicing simultaneously a number of channels. This thesis concentrates on the receiver acquisition problem of a transmitted signal which is the output of a spread spectrum communication system. The acquisition requirements of a spread spectrum system and also the general approaches to the problem of “active and passive correlation” are discussed. A unique general purpose all-digital acquisition hardware design is developed and described to the schematic level of detail, where specific parts …

Minutes Of The Aca Executive Committee November 6, 1985 Denver

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Minutes of executive meeting of the Association for Communication Administration held in Denver on November 6, 1985.

Minutes Of The Aca Business Meeting November 7, 1985 Denver

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Minutes of the annual business meeting of the Association for Communication Administration. The meeting was held in Denver on November 7, 1985.

The Power Of Program Setting: Liberal Arts Vs. Fine Arts, Bobby R. Patton

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This brief essay introduces a forum on how the institutional placement of theatre programs influences authority, resources, and leadership practices. It establishes persuasion and influence as central mechanisms for academic power and notes that theatre units often reside either within liberal arts or fine arts structures. The author argues that these settings carry distinct assumptions and operational logics that shape expectations for faculty work, program identity, and administrative relations. The essay does not advance a singular claim but instead frames the discussion by highlighting the importance of organizational context and by previewing three subsequent perspectives from faculty and administrators positioned …

Conservatory Training Within The Academic Institution, M. E Comtois

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This essay argues that conservatory style training for theatre artists is fundamentally distinct from liberal arts education and must be understood and administered as a separate enterprise within the university. It contends that liberal arts structures emphasize independent intellectual development, while artistic training requires tightly sequenced, skill based instruction under master teachers using an apprenticeship model. The author maintains that conflating the training of scholars and artists undermines both, and that the failure to differentiate between these goals has hindered the status of theatre education in the United States. The discussion outlines the characteristics of conservatory training, including selective admission, …

Speech Communication As Seen From The Top: University Presidents Look At The Discipline, Donald N. Dedmon

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This essay presents a university president’s reflection on the state and identity of speech communication as an academic field. The author observes that despite decades of growth, the discipline still lacks consensus on its core definition and intellectual boundaries. Journals demonstrate increasing sophistication, yet the author questions whether specialized language risks insularity and diminished public relevance. Drawing analogies to sociology and computer science, the essay warns against excessive internal focus and argues that communication must cultivate clearer relevance to contemporary social questions and professional practice. The author notes that subfields once housed within communication, such as communication disorders and theatre, …

The Phd In Theatre — A Vanishing Degree?, Richard Hornby

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This essay examines the decline of doctoral study in theatre and argues for the continued necessity of the PhD as the primary academic credential in the field. The author documents a significant reduction in PhD programs, student enrollments, and degree completions since the late 1970s, and attributes this trend to both broader reductions in humanities hiring and the rapid expansion of MFA programs. The essay contends that many MFA graduates enter academic positions for which they lack sufficient academic and historical preparation, particularly in areas of dramatic literature, theory, and non realistic performance styles. The author asserts that this shift …

Training In Organizations: Career Opportunities For Communication, Jan W. Kelly

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines career opportunities in organizational training as an emerging professional path for communication graduates amid declining academic employment prospects. It contextualizes the rise of corporate training within broader shifts in higher education and labor markets, noting that employers increasingly provide internal instruction and invest substantial resources in employee development. A telephone survey of 109 trainers in Silicon Valley was conducted using both open and closed question formats, and the resulting data were analyzed through frequency counts and qualitative categorization. Findings indicate that most respondents work as in house trainers and hold college degrees, yet relatively few possess academic …

Speech Communication In The General Education Curriculum, Isa N. Engleberg

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article discusses strategies for establishing speech communication as a central component of general education curricula, drawing on the author’s participation in a community college task force charged with redefining core requirements. It situates the effort within a broader national movement toward strengthening general education to preserve academic quality while maintaining open access and institutional relevance. The discussion emphasizes that departments cannot rely on disciplinary legitimacy alone but must actively engage in institutional processes and cultivate cross campus support to secure a place in the curriculum. Recommended strategies include serving on general education committees, assembling evidence from diverse academic and …

Professional Development For The Two-Year College Instructor, Emilie-Marie Rausch

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This article examines the evolving importance of professional development for two year college communication faculty in light of significant shifts in higher education during the previous two decades. It argues that growth in the two year sector, diversification of student populations, and heightened demands for accountability require instructors to pursue ongoing professional learning to ensure instructional quality and responsiveness to non traditional students. The discussion identifies misconceptions, structural constraints, and cultural assumptions that hinder faculty development, including narrow definitions of scholarship, heavy teaching and service loads, limited sabbatical opportunities, constrained funding, and extensive reliance on part time instructors. The article …

The Ata Placement Service Survey, J. Robert Willis, Amy Mohwinkel, Greg Holland

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

This report analyzes theatre employment vacancies listed in the American Theatre Association Placement Bulletin across a twelve month period from June 1984 through May 1985. The review includes 930 separate listings, most of which concern higher education positions yet also encompass roles in secondary schools, community theatre, children’s theatre, professional companies, and arts administration. Of the total listings, approximately 62 percent represent full time faculty appointments, with the majority categorized at entry level ranks such as instructor or assistant professor. Data reveal a pronounced emphasis on design and technical theatre roles, although the descriptions frequently request generalists capable of teaching …

Marketing Your Consulting And Professional Services, Dan B. Curtis

Association for Communication Administration Bulletin

Reviews the book "Marketing Your Consulting and Professional Services," by Richard A. Conner and Jeffrey P. Davidson (1985). Published by John Wiley and Sons.