Digital Commons Network^™

English Language Teachers’ Perspective On The Applicability Of The Language Assessment Frameworks Used In Saudi Arabian Universities, Asmahan Ghazi Alqahtani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates English language assessment practices in Saudi Arabian universities from the perspectives of English language teachers. It explores how ESL teachers perceive the applicability of assessment frameworks provided by policymakers in higher education. Guided by concepts of Language Assessment Literacy, the study examines the roles and practices of various stakeholders in language assessment, the principles and concepts guiding these practices, and the awareness of the social contexts in which language assessment takes place. In Saudi Arabia, research on language assessment is needed due to the limited attention given to assessment and testing issues, and the minimal involvement of …

Creating A Caring, Accountable, Respectable, And Engaging Environment (2care2): An Applied Research Study To Address Chronic Absenteeism, Eula Anderson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study, I will explore some of the root causes behind middle school students' failure to attend class. Data shows that students are labeled chronically absent when they miss more than 10% of a school year, regardless of the absences- expelled, unexcused, or suspended. According to the U.S. Department of Education, about seven million students were labeled chronically absent in the 2015-16 school year, equating to roughly one out of every six students across the United States being absent for 15 or more days. The problem exists nationwide; however, it is more prominent in urban areas with low socioeconomic …

North Ms Foodrx Farm-To-Farmacy: A Home Delivery Local Food Prescription Model, Cameron De'cal Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This portfolio presents a comprehensive overview of my contributions and involvement in the Farm-to-Farmacy (FTF) program model. Farm-to-Farmacy is an extension of the FoodRx program which aims to address food insecurity in rural parts of North Mississippi. This program was inspired by the 2019 FoodRx program in the Mississippi Delta that assisted in delivering fresh produce to the doorsteps of the elderly and homebound. Farm-to-Farmacy incorporates a unique approach by soliciting the support of local farmers which assists in sustainability for a program of this stature but also supports community engagement and involvement. The Farm-to-Farmacy program relies on local farmers …

Data Driven Approaches To Study Gravitational Waves From Binary Black Hole Mergers, Akshay Khadse

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In a matter of a hundred years, we have come from the time when Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves to today, where multiple detections of gravitational waves in a week are not surprising. We are headed towards a future where, with advanced detectors, not only will the frequency of gravitational wave events increase even higher, but we will also discover new gravitational wave sources. Numerical Relativity is catching up to this challenge, and we now have dozens of independent NR codes and multiple gravitational waveform catalogues. As NR codes continue to improve, it is essential to compare …

Search For Cpt And Lorentz Invariance Violation In The Fnal Muon G − 2 Experiment, Baisakhi Mitra

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The discrepancy between theoretical and experimental values for the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon, aμ, is one of the most important indications for new physics. The Muon g−2 experiment at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (FNAL) aims to measure the anomalous magnetic moment of the muon to a record precision of 140 parts per billion using data taken over six years from 2018 to 2023. The first result which was based on the Run-1 data comprises 6% of the total statistics. The Runs 2 and 3 data were collected in 2019-2020 and published in 2023. These results measured the positive …

Analytical Performance Evaluation Of Denm Loss In V2v Sidechannel Communications, Avijit Sarker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this dissertation is to quantify the loss of Decentralized Environmental Notification Messages (DENMs) in a vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) scenario in which DENMs are transmitted over subchannels of the sidelink (SL) specifically allocated for DENM transmission, with vehicular user equipments (VUE) autonomously selecting and managing the radio resources for transmitting DENMs. A slot-based discrete parameter, discrete-valued Markov Chain (DVMC) model that reflects DENM generation requirements for an ensemble of VUEs is developed. This model simultaneously acknowledges the potentially bursty nature and correlations within the DENM generation process and is used to assess DENM loss. DENM loss is determined according …

Inclusive Measurement Of Upsilon(4s) To Upsilon(1s) Decays With Belle Ii Data, John Wilson Stacy

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An inclusive measurement of ϒ(4S) decays to ϒ(1S) is reported. Using 364.5 fb−1 of Belle II data collected at the ϒ(4S) center-of-mass energy, ϒ(4S) → ϒ(1S) decays are identified via a fit to the μ+μ− invariant mass spectrum. Backgrounds from initial state radiation production of ϒ(1S) are subtracted using a fit to 42.6 fb−1 of data collected below the ϒ(4S) center-of-mass energy. Using our models and values taken from literature, the inclusive branching ratio for inclusive ϒ(4S) decays to ϒ(1S) can be measured with a statistical uncertainty of 5.1% and a systematic uncertainty of 14.8%.

Tidal Perturbations Of Kerr Spacetime And Their Impact On Orbits, L. Joseph Rivest

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I develop a software package to produce and analyze tidally perturbed geodesics in a Kerr background spacetime. Though my simulations do not include radiation reaction, they are a good proxy for Extreme Mass-Ratio Inspirals (EMRI) in a perturbing environment. The goal of this work is to categorize cases in which perturbations are likely to bias Gravity Wave (GW) signals detected by the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) strongly enough to require additional modeling. I limit my investigation to static perturbation fields. I perform metric reconstruction in the Geroch-Held-Penrose (GHP) formalism followed by a novel approach to the derivation of the …

Linguistic Gender Differences In English Among Saudi Medical Students In Online Courses, Ala Mohammed Alshahrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This qualitative research explores gender differences in language use among Saudi medical students in online courses. Employing purposive sampling, the study, aims to comprehend the influence of gender on language patterns and communication styles in online education. Data collection involves online interviews with five teachers and survey questionnaires administered to twenty actively enrolled Saudi medical students. The interviews provide insights into language use patterns in the online learning environment, while surveys offer a broader perspective on student language use. Thematic analysis unveils recurring themes: “courses developed,” “reasons for online courses,” “interaction among male and female students in online courses,” “comfort …

Student Leadership In The Musical Ensemble: A Descriptive Study, Anna Bullock

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research study investigated the nature of student leadership opportunities in middle school, high school, and collegiate ensembles. It comprehensively reviewed existing research and proposed potential avenues for future developments. Through a descriptive inquiry, the investigation aimed to ascertain whether similar outcomes are observed across all facets of music education classrooms, including choir, band, and orchestra. The exploratory nature of this study lends itself to no specific hypotheses; however, the findings may have implications for music education classrooms.

The research questions are structured based on relevant literature to uncover the skills conferred by occupying a student leadership position. Subjects were …

Applied Research For Improving The Behavior Intervention Process With The Help Of School Counselors, Teachers, And Administrators, Amberly T. Chapman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explored how improvements to a district’s multi-tiered system of supports can improve the behavior interventions implemented for students needing behavioral support. Districts with poorly functioning intervention systems fail to provide students with the proper academic and behavioral support they need. School counselors are integral to the success of schools and districts and their participation in the MTSS process. This study examined the creation and implementation of behavior intervention and the additional support school counselors provide to students receiving the interventions. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in this study and the program was evaluated at the conclusion.

How French-Produced And North American-Produced French Textbooks Differ In The Teaching Of French And Francophone Culture, Elizabeth Clauss

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The teaching of culture is important in any foreign language classroom. This thesis will analyze what and how different aspects of French and Francophone culture are taught in elementary-level French textbooks: one French-produced and one North American-produced. The definition of culture is provided by several sources however one definition discusses the definition of culture in its entirety. A brief history, over the course of 60 years, of the teaching of French culture is discussed and analyzed in the first part of this thesis. The development of teaching French culture in the foreign language classroom is seen. Then, the teaching of …

Effects Of Music-Induced Arousal On Spatial Cognition, April Marie Joyner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Arousal is known to influence the manner in which spatial stimuli are processed and remembered. Although music is considered a spatial stimulus, the relationship between music-induced arousal through music listening and spatial ability remains understudied. This study was designed to determine whether arousal induced by musical stimuli differentially impacts memory performance on a map learning task created to measure spatial memory. Participants were exposed to two different pieces of music selected to induce either high or low arousal or were exposed to a control condition in which music was not presented. Participants listened to music or completed multiplication problems prior …

The Effect Of A Scarcity Mindset On External Auditors' Reliance On The Internal Audit Function, Brett Patterson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Audit regulators are concerned that times of economic uncertainty will likely cause external auditors to misuse the work of the internal audit function (IAF). These concerns are consistent with prior psychology research finding that objective poverty or a subjective, perceived lack of resources induces a scarcity mindset, which then leads to counterproductive economic behaviors. Therefore, I examine the effect of such a scarcity mindset on external auditors’ IAF reliance choices. In an experiment that incorporates a setting mimicking the evidence collection process, I manipulate the external auditor’s scarcity mindset and the internal audit function’s competence. I find that external auditors …

Perceptions Of First-Year Bipoc Students About The Impact Of Institutional Recruitment Practices On Their Decision To Enroll In The University Of Mississippi’S Integrated Marketing Communications, Jennifer A. Simmons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The University of Mississippi has a history and continued stigma of not being a welcoming place for people of color. While the university has made strides to distance itself from its past, negative stereotypes and perceptions still exist among some students and parents. These stereotypes and perceptions can make recruiting students more difficult. This study explores the perceptions of first-year students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) about the impact of institutional recruitment practices on their decision to enroll in the University of Mississippi’s Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) program. This study will help provide perspectives from …

Pig: A Novel, William Hal Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A novel exploring addiction, recovery, faith, and family in Central Florida.

Fostering Inclusive Excellence For Black Women In Undergraduate Computing Sciences At A Predominantly White Institution, Toni Avant

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Employment projections indicate that the computing sciences field is expected to increase by more than 600,000 jobs from 2020-2030. As society becomes increasingly reliant on technological innovations, the demand continues to rise for qualified graduates in this field. It is essential that employers build a diverse and inclusive workforce in order to accommodate the markets they serve. Yet, the lack of representation of Black women in the computing sciences field is of great concern.

From Pixels To Strings: Efficient String Art Creation Leveraging Greedy Algorithm, Ashraya Joshi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis optimizes String Art generation using advanced algorithms. String art is a technique that creates visual artworks composed of straight lines of strings tensioned between pins distributed on a canvas. Initially employing the Hough Transform, issues such as computational complexity and edge detection inaccuracies led to adopting a Greedy Algorithm. This algorithm iteratively enhances visual similarity between the string art and the original image by reducing the difference between pixel intensities between them, significantly improving quality and efficiency. Integrating non-photorealistic rendering techniques, the study ensures smoother and more coherent lines. The study demonstrates the improvements with different quantitative metrics. …

Study Of Binary Black Hole Dynamics Using Gravitational Waves, Cody Ayres Mccammon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Merging binary black holes exhibit precessional motion that can be classified into three distinct morphologies: Circulating, librating around 0, and librating around π. This information is decoded from the gravitational wave signal. Binary systems can transition between morphologies as they spiral inwards, and spin precession effects are more pronounced near merger. The spin morphology reveals information about the binary black holes’ formation such as through isolated evolution of massive binary stars and their collapse or through dynamic evolution channels such as capture. In this study, we considered inferring the morphology at reference points at which the binary has (approximately) a …

Structural And Binding Studies Of Marine Glycans With Potential Therapeutic Use, Hoda Alsayed Mohamed Ahmed

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation presents a comprehensive analysis of various marine-derived polysaccharides, focusing on their structures and binding properties. Using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), distinct marine polysaccharides were structurally characterized, and their interactions with various biological targets were evaluated. The initial study explores a glucan isolated from Marcia hiantina, a bivalve mollusk, and its biological activity. Detailed structural analysis via NMR and chromatography techniques revealed a branched glucose-based polysaccharide with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Further studies on the red alga Botryocladia occidentalis identified three sulfated galactans in its cell wall. Through NMR, we characterized the least …

Do Storytelling And Survival Processing Have Additive Effects On Recall Performance?, Zoe Helena Fischer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Both survival processing and storytelling have been shown to enhance memory performance relative to control conditions. We examined the extent to which combining these two techniques improves participants’ memory abilities relative to comparable control conditions. In one experiment, participants (n = 100) were randomly assigned to write sentences using unrelated common nouns in a sentence creation control, storytelling, survival, or survival plus storytelling condition. Participants who were instructed to write a story about survival were predicted to remember more words on a subsequent free recall test than participants in the other conditions. Mechanistically, we predict that combining predominantly item-specific processing …

Weight Discrimination And The Negative Cultural Value Of Fat: The Relationship To Well-Being Across Higher Weight Individuals Of Different Nations, Ana Clara Vieira Zaidan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Discrimination against individuals with higher body weights is prevalent in and outside of the US (see Pearl et al., 2021), yet research on this topic is limited when considering non-US perspectives. Cross-cultural studies had not yet explored the impact of cultural norms around weight. In the domain of anti-fat attitudes, cross-cultural research had explored variations in the negative cultural value of fatness (NCF) and its impacts across countries (Crandall et al., 2001). Incorporating this perspective, Study 1 examined how perceived weight discrimination (PWD) and NCF uniquely predict various well-being outcomes across two different countries among individuals who identified as overweight. …

Standard And Non-Standard Neutrino Oscillations At The Nova Experiment, Luiz Ricardo Prais

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Initially believed to be massless, the discovery of neutrino oscillations proved that neutrinos have masses, a feature not anticipated by the Standard Model of Elementary Particles. Investigations of the existence of the so-called physics Beyond the Standard Model is a subject of active effort in the field of particle physics. Interactions of neutrinos with matter are well described by the Standard Model, however in the presence of new physics our knowledge and ability to measure the standard neutrino oscillation parameters may be affected. Non-Standard Interactions (NSI) may arise as a subleading effect to the neutrino oscillation framework by introducing additional …

The Religious Landscape Of Uruguay In The Third Millennium: Present Piety As A Product Of The Past?, Brandon Kriplean

Honors Theses

Of all Latin American countries, Uruguay enjoys both the lowest percentage of Catholics and the highest percentage of religiously unaffiliated. The central aim of this thesis is to explore the extent to which historical secularization processes and laicidad are responsible for the low number of Catholics and the large number of religiously unaffiliated. With regards to the former, the historical evidence suggests that the small Catholic population is not a result of laicidad but is instead a product of internal issues within the Uruguayan Catholic Church. Part 1 of this thesis will explore the factors that have weakened the Uruguayan …

Biophysical Study Of The Von Willebrand Factor Via Optical Tweezers—Investigating The Collagen Binding Force Profile To Distinguish Types Of Von Willebrand Disease, Leigh Hardin

Honors Theses

von Willebrand disease (vWD) is a genetic disorder due to quantitative or qualitative abnormalities of the von Willebrand factor (vWF). There are three main types of vWD in addition to acquired von Willebrand syndrome. Type 1 is due to a deficiency of vWF, while Type 3 is due to a complete absence of vWF. Type 2 is due to malformed factors and broken into four subtypes: 2A, 2B, 2M, and 2N. Each subtype corresponds to different abnormalities of the protein that affect its binding to other proteins such as collagen, Factor VIII, platelets, etc. Therefore, determining a patient’s type and …

Privacy Within Autonomous Vehicle Cameras, Joshua Montgomery

Honors Theses

In recent years, cameras have become ubiquitous in daily life, constantly surveilling, and taking in information. This leads to a potential security risk of the invasion in one’s privacy without their knowledge or any ability to prevent the privacy threat. While cameras alone are an issue, they are often only in locations where a user has some expectation of a loss of privacy, such as public locations with security systems. However, systems that rely on cameras to operate correctly, including autonomous vehicles, are becoming a more prominently used technology while often appearing in places where an average person has some …

Funny Business: The Decline Of The Comedy Film, William Liston

Honors Theses

This paper concerns the role of economic forces in driving shifts in culture. To explore this topic, I look at the sudden and significant decline in the number of Comedy films released by Hollywood and argue that it is the result of changes in prices rather than changes in preferences. In doing so, I develop a theory linking the decline of Comedy films produced to the expansion of the international market for Hollywood films and illustrate this theory with a model. To support my theory, I use data I have collected regarding Hollywood’s output, the domestic and international film markets, …

At The Intersection Of Functionality And Beauty: A Study Of The Carrara Herbal, Anna Grace Robinson

Venture: The University of Mississippi Undergraduate Research Journal

The Carrara Herbal is a manuscript that sits at the cusp between medieval and early Renaissance work in Padua, Italy. With medical “simples,” or singular ingredients to be combined, as its primary focus, the Herbal is heavily illustrated and illuminated (the process of decorating a manuscript with color and even precious metals like gold), demonstrating the commissioner’s intentions and establishing him as a leader in the field of botanical medical knowledge. However, the intent and practical use seem to be at odds in the case of the Carrara Herbal. As six centuries passed, the manuscript was actively used and revised …

Is The Speed Of Law Faster Than The Speed Of Light: Considerations Of The Impact Of Special Relativity On The Operation Of Law In The Context Of Deep Space Missions, Alex Simmonds

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.

Back To The Future Of “Biopower”: Foucalt’S Prescriptions And The Regulation Of Commercial Order And Discordance In Outer Space, Gbenga Oduntan

Journal of Space Law

No abstract provided.