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Sacred Stones For Sacred Structures: An Examination Of Patterns In The Temples And Twin Complexes At Tikal And Palenque, Meredith Mae Hild

Honors Program Theses

Extensive work in uncovering and reconstructing Classic Maya temples has been completed while the importance of Maya studies has increased during the past centuries. Little has been done, however, in the interpretation of certain Maya structures within the context of Maya thought. That context includes an understanding of the Maya interpretation of their place within the cosmos, an aspect of Maya culture that dictated every individual's daily actions. Researchers have tended to focus on architectural analyses that describe the dimensions and building materials of temples and other monumental structures. This leads to interpretations that are lacking in cultural significance. While …

Violent Crime And Drug Use: The Relationship Between Drugs And Types Of Crime, Richard William Fortney

Honors Program Theses

Previous research shows us that there is a relationship between drugs and crime (Chaiken and Chaiken 1990; Dawkins 1997; Goldstein 1985; Harrison and Gfroerer 1992; Inciardi and Pottieger 1994; French, McGeary, Chitwood, McCoy, Inciardi, and McBride 2000). This paper seeks to determine whether there is a relationship between the types of drugs an individual uses and the types of crimes that they commit. There have been studies that researched similar relationships, such as French et al 2000, but they did not look at the differences in types of drugs used by individuals. Instead, they focused on simply finding a relationship …

Effects Of Sexual Assault Education On College Students' Rape-Supportive Attitudes, Jessica Ann Ueland

Honors Program Theses

Few studies have measured the effectiveness of sexual assault programming is in decreasing acceptance of rape myths. This study examined two research questions. First, would students in a class that included a sexual assault education component be more likely to demonstrate a change in degree of rape myth acceptance than students who were not in a class that included sexual assault education? Second, within the treatment group, would males demonstrate a larger change in rape myth acceptance than females? At the end of the course, the treatment group showed a significant decrease in rape myth acceptance; there was not a …

The Presence Of Gender Stereotypes In Children's Picture Book Illustrations, Jenahlee Chamberlain

Graduate Research Papers

Numerous studies have been conducted throughout the past several decades on the topic of gender stereotypes present in children's picture books. The purpose of this quantitative content analysis is to examine the portrayal of males and females and the representation of gender roles in children's picture book illustrations. This analysis of 43 children's picture books awarded the Caldecott Award or Caldecott Honor between 2001 and 2011 sought to determine whether or not 21st century award winning children's picture book illustrations portrayed gender stereotypes. Each title was analyzed using a content analysis form to test the three hypotheses for this study. …

The Serious Leisure Perspective, Patrick Anthony Beets

Graduate Research Papers

This review will address the relationship of serious leisure that involve youth and will help create a study that can be used based on a participant's experiences. The specific question examined in this paper is: Can serious leisure be used as a vehicle to help youth to develop positive skills that will help increase meaningfulness and battle depression?

Advanced Information Processing Technologies And Police Discretion, Kevin Wayne Howard

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research seeks to evaluate the influence of advanced information processing technologies on police discretion. I have developed three propositions. First, advanced information processing technologies used in municipal law enforcement enable policing managers to easily collect and analyze large amounts of information. Second, the information acquired from these same technologies is used to create and/or modify bureaucratic rules regarding police work. Third, this combination of technological and bureaucratic processes has led to a reduction of patrol officers' discretion. Advanced information processing technologies include crime mapping, video surveillance, mobile data terminals (in-car computers), global positioning systems, and computer statistics (Compstat), a …

The Social Origin Of Violent Behavior, Todd Arthur Mensink

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This study examines the social origins of extremely violent behavior. Numerous explanations of violent offenders have focused on biological, psychological, environmental or a combination of these factors to explain violence. Most explanations of violent behavior fail to take a holistic approach to understand the cause of violent behavior. This study is an analysis of the applicability of the violentization theory. Data was obtained through in-depth semi-structured interviews from six violent offenders in a residential treatment faciIity in the Midwest. Findings indicate that for most offenders, the violentization theory is consistent with their social experiences. However, two exceptions pertained to the …

Not Giving Back: The Social Exchange Concern Hypothesis Of Physical Disability Stigma, Thomas P. Dirth

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The phenomenon of physical disability stigma has been examined from many different perspectives, but a comprehensive theory of its functionality has yet to be tested. The evolutionary theory of stigma provides two compelling hypotheses, for stigma in general, and physical disability stigma in particular. The pathogen avoidance hypothesis maintains that stigma is an evolved response for protection against infectious diseases, whereas the social exchange concern hypothesis proposes that stigma serves to maximize fitness by cueing which interaction partners will contribute or detract most from one's well-being. The social exchange concern hypothesis frames physical disability stigma, especially, in a way that …

Our Voices: A Descriptive Account Of African American Parental Involvement In An Urban Elementary School, Charletta D. Sudduth

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Parent involvement may have implications for student achievement (Epstein, 1986; Hoover-Dempsey, Bassler, & Brisse, 1987; Lopez, Scribner, & Mahitivanichcha, 2001). Today African-American parents are frequently criticized for not being involved enough in their students' education (Dearing, Kreider, Simpkins, & Weiss, 2006). African-American parent involvement can be limited due to a lack of time, monetary resources, or transportation; past negative experiences with school; a non-welcoming school environment; or a different definition of parent involvement (Epstein, 2001, Hamre & Pianta, 2001; Hill, Castellino, Lansford, Dodge, Bates, et al., 2004; Hughes & Kwok, 2007). Missing from the research of both Hoover Dempsey and …

Annual Report Of The Registrar 2010/2011, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Definitions
--- Annual Report Data
--- Summary of Attendance
--- Attendance by Session
--- Full-time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Granted
--- Degree Summary
--- Program Certificates
--- Pupils in Price Laboratory School
--- Miscellaneous Enrollment Information
--- Degrees Granted by College, Degree Objective, and Racial/Ethnic Classification

Variables Affecting Crime Rate, Jaime Zeigler

Honors Program Theses

The Federal Bureau of Investigation releases data about crime statistics. They publish the raw data and provide factors that influence the crime rate. They provide the general public with a few variables that they deemed most influential, but do not provide the statistical analysis to support. After performing a statistical analysis, I support or disprove their claims. Another way to question the validity of regression is comparing the current regression to a previous regression performed two years ago by myself with the same variables from the same source. An additional aspect that this paper explores the history of factors affecting …

Traditional Vs. Alternative Assessment Methodology In Iowa's Secondary Social Science Classroom, Jake Edward Hoversten

Honors Program Theses

This thesis is a product of an interest I had in classroom assessment as a future educator of Iowa. I wanted to know which types of assessments were being used in order to direct my own teaching practices. The purpose of this project is to determine the extent that alternative assessment is used compared to traditional assessment in Iowa's secondary social science classrooms. This project draws information from current educators and an array of other resources in order to determine the frequency of each method of assessment and the reasons behind any potential trends in methodology. This project reveals current …

Reliability And Sensitivity Of Physical Activity Under Free-Living Conditions As A Measure Of Function Following Ankle And Foot Injuries, Lisa Nicole Bengtson

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Context: Assessing outcomes measure, with pedometers, allows a practitioner to monitor an injury throughout recovery. Therefore, to be utilized in practice and research, step counts should be able to effectively detect changes in physical activity, under free-living conditions, throughout recovery following an ankle or foot injury for student-athletes. Therefore the purpose of this study was to provide evidence of reliability and sensitivity for physical activity under free-living conditions, via step counts, as a measure of function during recovery (3-14 days) following ankle and foot injuries for student athletes. Objective: Determine the reliability and sensitivity of physical activity under free-living conditions, …

Human Values And The Importance Of Money, Sara Lucia Estrada Villalta

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Research has shown that there is relationship between money and an orientation toward self-interest, both at the individual and country-level. However, the causal relationship between these constructs is not fully understood. Based on Schwartz's theory of human values, which distinguishes between self-oriented and socially-oriented values, this study explored whether values have a causal influence on the importance people place on money. Four different sets of values were primed using a scrambled-sentences task to test their effects on the importance participants ascribed to money. Importance of money was measured in three ways: desire for money, relative importance of financial goals, and …

Defining The “Good” Mother: Examining The Myths Of Motherhood And The Hierarchical Construction Of Femininity In Weeds And Weekly Magazines, Johnanna Joy Ganz

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Throughout this thesis  investigate how images of motherhood in popular culture rely on specific ideological "myths" to convey implicit messages about appropriate femininity. To examine the depictions of motherhood I performed a textual analysis of the contents of the first two seasons of the television program Weeds as well as randomly sampled issues of the following celebrity gossip magazines: People Weekly, US Weekly, In Touch Weekly, and Life & Style Weekly. In order to make sense of the data, I rely on the theoretical concept of hegemonic femininity, as developed by Mimi Schippers. Additionally, I offer a more nuanced argument …

Shockingly Absurd!: How Ec Comics And Mad Magazine Contributed To The Counterculture, 1952-1960, Matthew D. Cossolotto

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

In 1944 Max Gaines, a pioneering figure in the development of comic books, decided to start his own publishing company, Educational Comics (EC), that focused on wholesome story lines and historical events in Biblical and American History. After his death in 1947, his son William took over the business, changed the company's name to Entertaining Comics (EC), and focused on crime and horror stories. William began publishing comics books such as Shock SuspenStories, and Weird Fantasy that alarmed parents, and political leaders due to depictions of violence and criticisms of America's lack of social justice. By the early 1950s, public …

Post-Graduate Settlement Patterns: Tuition Reciprocity And Its Impact On Graduate Retention In Iowa, Minnesota, And Wisconsin, Andrew Miles Duggan

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This research project sought to discover the potential role participating in a tuition reciprocity program had on affecting a state's ability to stem the impact of brain drain. In order to do this, alumni records were analyzed from the University of Northern Iowa (UNI), Minnesota State University-Mankato (MSU), and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (UWEC). They were chosen because these schools serve as regional institutions, and realistically would be expected to compete for the same prospective students. Datasets were collected for general locations (ZIP codes), gender, and degree majors for those who graduated in 1999 and 2004 - five and …

Fall Commencement [Program], December 18, 2010, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates.

Uni Schedule Of Classes, Fall 2010, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Schedule of Classes

A listing and schedule of the courses being taught as well as policies and procedures concerning attending classes at the University of Northern Iowa.

Faculty Tenure Report, Fall 2010, University Of Northern Iowa. Office Of Institutional Research.

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Statistical report showing the number of faculty that are tenured, on the tenure track, or not on the tenure track, broken down by college, department, gender, minority status, and if full or part time.

Contributors

UNIversitas: Journal of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

No abstract provided.

A Response To Back To The Future?, Xavier Escandell

UNIversitas: Journal of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

“Muddled writing is muddled thinking,” wrote my professor, challenging me to revise one of my first essays in graduate school. Indeed, the process of reconciling writing and thinking is a lifelong challenge for writers. The challenge is even more daunting as you try to teach others how to communicate ideas effectively on paper. As I grade my student papers, I am continuously pondering how I can encourage my students to engage their sociological imagination, encourage them to be mindfully skeptical citizens, while addressing the ‘correctness’ and ‘basic skills’ of writing. Grant argues for the need to re-couple writing to its …

Submitting To The Disciplines Of Liberation: A Second Look At Mark Van Doren’S Liberal Education, Bill Koch

UNIversitas: Journal of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

For a few years now I’ve been describing to colleagues in the UNI English Department some of the ways I’ve been trying to engage students with their writing in the sections of College Writing and Research that I teach, and more than once they’ve said, “I wish I could take your class.” And as I’ve continued to reread Van Doren’s 1943 book on liberal education (on which I wrote an article that was published in UNIversitas a couple years ago), I’ve found that his thoughts help me to explain some of these concepts and activities, ways to engage students …

Uni Schedule Of Classes, Summer 2010, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Schedule of Classes

A listing and schedule of the courses being taught as well as policies and procedures concerning attending classes at the University of Northern Iowa.

Biennial Report To The Board Of Regents State Of Iowa 2008-2010, University Of Northern Iowa

Institutional Effectiveness & Planning Documents

Contents:

--- Cumulative Enrollment 2008/2009
--- Cumulative Enrollment 2009/2010
--- Residence Enrollment by Sessions
--- Full-Time Equivalency Enrollment
--- Degrees Awarded
--- Program Certificates Awarded
--- Summary of Enrollment – Fall and Spring

Spring Commencement [Program], May 8, 2010, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Commencement Programs

The program of the commencement ceremonies, including a list of institutional leadership, a list of the departments by college, awards given at the ceremonies, and a list of undergraduate and graduate degree candidates.

Seventeenth Annual Csbs Student Research Conference Program, April 17, 2010, University Of Northern Iowa

INSPIRE Student Research & Engagement Conference Programs

A program for the INSPIRE conference where undergraduate and graduate students present their research, internship, volunteer and study abroad experiences, club activities and creative performances.

Honors Research Conference [Program] April 10, 2010, University Of Northern Iowa

Honors Research Day Programs

No abstract provided.

University Of Northern Iowa Faculty Senate Meeting Minutes, April 5, 2010, University Of Northern Iowa. Faculty Senate.

Documents - Faculty Senate

Meeting minutes from the Faculty Senate of the University of Northern Iowa.

Uni Schedule Of Classes, Spring 2010, University Of Northern Iowa

UNI Schedule of Classes

A listing and schedule of the courses being taught as well as policies and procedures concerning attending classes at the University of Northern Iowa.