Digital Commons Network^™

Gender Socialization And Social Media In College Students' Fear Of Crime, Ashlyn C. Miller

Honors Program Theses

The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between gender (socialization), viewing crime related material on social media, and fear of crime experienced by college students. While violent crime rates have fallen, the majority of college students report levels of crime are increasing. Many individuals lack both knowledge and experience related to crime, leading media exposure to influence their levels of fear. Previous research has focused on television media related to fear of crime with little research on social media, the preferred media source of young adults. College students (n = 124) from a midwestern university completed a …

Death And Grief In 21st Century America: A Literature Review On Bereavement & Attitudes Toward Death, Jordan Whitney

Honors Program Theses

In modern Western society, death has been dissected and neatly packaged like meat at the grocery store. The unsavory aspects are hidden and our discomfort around dying has turned death into a commodity. In typical consumerist fashion, we are sold the “proper way” to die and grieve as a result. Funeral homes guide us through this new experience with the goal of assisting us through our grief. While most report positive experiences with funeral directors’ services, there remains evidence of overcharging and pressuring into the purchases of unnecessary additional services. This thesis explores modern attitudes and practices towards death, grief, …

The Role Of Flo11 In Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Colonization Of The Lepidopteran Gastrointestinal Tract, Kayla Jeanette Minor

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Using Fiddler Crab Species To Identify Coastal Biomes Around The Perimeter Of The Atlantic Ocean, Amber Finke

Honors Program Theses

Organisms are distributed differentially across world’s surface based on many environmental characteristics. What part do physical characteristics play in demarcating the distribution of species? Using several international fiddler crab collections and GIS-linked sets of habitat factors, I sought an answer to this question. Geographic distribution data for 23 species from over 1700 collecting sites situated along the coasts of Europe, Africa, North America, Central America, the Caribbean Islands, and South America were used to characterize coastal biogeographic biomes around the perimeter of the North and South Atlantic Ocean. As an initial objective, the exact geographic distribution of each species based …

An Analysis Of Artificial Intelligence's Potential In Assessments Of Math Learning, Casandra Tounjian

Honors Program Theses

Many aspects of math teaching could be impacted by the implementation of AI in schools, but I chose to focus on the implementation of AI in assessments of mathematical learning. A large part of teaching mathematics is determining how students are progressing in their understanding of mathematics. There are typically certain benchmarks that students are expected to reach. For example, in middle school math, students typically learn about equivalent ratios before they learn about proportional relationships. Thus, when students are discussing proportional relationships—think recipes—they can use the language for equivalent ratios to describe proportional relationships—for every 3 cups of water …

An Analysis Of Crash Factors On Total Property Damage, Erica Peters

Honors Program Theses

Vehicle accidents occur across the world every day. Rain or shine, night or day accidents will always occur. While each accident has its own set of unique characteristics, a statistical data analysis can help identify important factors, trends and overall patterns that explain and predict the total property damage incurred after a car crash. As a result, the primary goal of this research is to employ a regression analysis to identify which environmental and collision variables are most important in explaining and predicting the dependent variable – total property damage that results from auto accidents.

This research will also explore …

Information Provided By State Human Trafficking Websites: A Content Analysis, Brooklyn Dilley

Honors Program Theses

Human trafficking evolved from the legal and regulated slavery of the past and has likely been in existence throughout human history. Slavery was abolished in the United States in 1865, and slavery and servitude were prohibited globally through the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 (United Nations General Assembly, 1948). Nevertheless, modern-day slavery has still thrived in the form of human trafficking. There have been many global and national efforts to combat human trafficking, including the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress, and Punish Trafficking in Persons and the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (OMCTP). The Trafficking Victims Protection …

Olivine Variability Of The Nickel Lake Macrodike Of Northern Minnesota, Katelyn Boege

Honors Program Theses

This project is looking at the mineralogy of olivine crystals found in an igneous formation called the Nickel Lake Macrodike. This formation is from 1.1 billion years ago and is a part of the Midcontinent Rift System that extends from Kansas to Michigan. Olivine crystals are typically only found in ultramafic and mafic rocks which are associated with the mantle of the Earth. Knowing more about the original composition of the magma that formed these crystals can give information about the consistency of the magma and can give more information about the formation of other rocks in the area. Given …

Mathematical Conjectures In Grades Three Through Five Relating To Fractions And Decimals, Lauren Elizabeth Bork

Honors Program Theses

Studying fractions and decimals is foundational work in upper elementary grades. There are many challenges that students face with these topics and many ways teachers can build on the understanding that they bring to the classroom. Studying conjectures and students’ mathematical thinking is important as we build foundational knowledge for students with fractions and decimals. Studying the conjectures that students make can be a captivating journey into the world of mathematical reasoning and exploration. Making conjectures is one part of mathematical argumentation, an important practice to include in mathematics teaching. I studied the conjectures of grades 3-5 students in the …

Characterization Of Mtdna Minicircles In A Chewing Louse Stachiella Octomaculatus, Jaylie Hicklin

Honors Program Theses

No abstract provided.

Why Would I Read When The Game Is On?: Reasons Adults Give For Reading Or Not, Emmy C. Nelson

Honors Program Theses

This thesis dives into the ideas of why people read and do not read, beginning in their childhood years. Many different factors add to why people choose to read or why they choose not to read. School plays an important role as to why people choose to read because reading is not necessarily a natural process since it is different from learning how to speak. Reading has to be taught and understood fully in order to read independently, understand the material, expand ideas, and connect with the reading. Without this, individuals can become “poor” readers or have a low reader …

The Impact On Growth Of The Scientific And Engineering Practices Throughout The Semester In 9th Grade Earth Science, Mallory Wills-Howe

Graduate Research Papers

The goal of my Non Thesis Masters Project is the development of three instructional units that emphasize the Scientific and Engineering Practices (SEPs) and give students the opportunity to show growth in those SEPs. The three instructional units were implemented in a 9th grade Earth Science classroom over the course of the semester. In all three units students focused on the following SEPs: Asking questions, Analyzing and Interpreting Data, and Engaging in an Argument from Evidence. The content and Next Generation Science Standards that were addressed included: Unit One- Earths Changes addressing NGSS (HS-ESS2-1), Unit Two- Earths History addressing NGSS …

The Impact Of Sexual Assault And The Influence Of Leadership Within The Military, Holly Rigel

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between service member’s resilience levels and leadership’s response to sexual assault and sexual harassment. This research is conducted based on a quantitative study utilizing secondary data analysis of data collected by the Office of People Analytics on gender relations (2023) that is composed of several topics such as perception of the military and servicemembers’ resilience. Conducting both a univariate and a bivariate analysis of the data, the findings in the research revealed a statistically significant relationship between service members’ resilience levels and leadership’s response. The more positive leadership response is …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Increasing The Likelihood Of Substance Use Disorder, Kelsey L. Cain

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Physical Activity And Mental Health Symptoms In Adults, Olivia A. Brecht

Graduate Research Papers

The primary purpose of this research study was to analyze the effect of physical activity on the mental health of adults aged 18-80. Existing research has found a significant relationship between physical activity and mental health in adulthood. The current study utilizes secondary data from the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). The target population for the BRFSS study consists of noninstitutionalized adults (aged 18 and older) currently living in the United States. Using SPSS, the current study conducted univariate data analysis and bivariate data analysis. This study investigates various factors including the number of poor mental health days, …

The Effects Of Alcohol Consumption On Cognitive Decline, Ashley Highland

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between alcohol use and cognitive decline among young adults. This study is a quantitative study in which secondary data was used as a means to gather information from the 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) database. In this study, the researcher analyzed the data using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, such as independent sample t-test, correlations analysis, ANOVA, and Chi-Square test. The findings in this research revealed that there is a significant relationship between cognitive decline and binge drinking in young adults. Meaning, young adults who binge drink are …

Graduate Portfolio, Olivia Campbell

Graduate Research Papers

History is often thought of as big events that happened throughout time. This notion can be seen in the way history is often taught in the high school and often college levels. World history always teaches about events like the world wars and similar conflicts. American history always teaches about events such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the Civil War. Because of this, whether intentionally or not, history is often thought of as big events that have happened. History is also often taught through the lens of “great man history”, which focuses on people who had …

The Impact Of Alcohol Use On Dating Violence Among Adolescents, Kaygen Kay Deitrick

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between alcohol use and increased rates of dating violence. Additionally, the study proposed potential differences in experienced dating violence rates for sexual minority youth compared to their heterosexual counterparts. This current study utilizes secondary data analysis of the national 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YBRSS). In this study the researcher analyzed data through the use of descriptive statistics that include frequency, mean, standard deviation. The researcher analyzed data through the use of inferential statistics which include independent sample t-test, correlations analysis, ANOVA. The results of this study indicate a …

Evaluating The Impact Of Model-Evidence-Link Charts In Seventh-Grade Student’S Ability To Engage In Scientific Argumentation Over Plant Reproductive Structures, Josephine Libby

Graduate Research Papers

The MEL has been utilized in a variety of topics, but not plant reproductive structures. The resource would allow students to form connections between provided scientific text and provided models. The goal is to have students understand the text and connect it to the correct model over the model based on a common misconception.

The study also investigated whether the use of these models would gain student confidence in the area of scientific argumentation. Scientific argumentation is a scientific practice a part of the Next Generation Science Standards that have been adopted by the state of Iowa. The middle school …

Measurement: The Forgotten Unit: Introduction To Quantitative Data Acquisition In Ninth Grade Physical Science, James F. Duff

Graduate Research Papers

What if you have determined that the students you teach need foundational knowledge and skills that are not addressed in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)? My Ninth Grade Physical Science class provides an introduction to the data intensive subjects of subsequent secondary science classes. Sound data requires accurate measurements. Students in my classes have struggled with layering the metric system of measurement on top of the Imperial system and the NGSS lacks a standard that directly addresses measurement with metric units.

I used the Backward Design process of Wiggins & McTighe (2005) to construct a unit centered on the …

Priorities For Pan-American Geography Education: Needs And Trends, Alex Oberle, Fabian Araya, Sandra Alvarez

Faculty Publications

Geography education research in Latin America is uneven in terms of its thematic focus and country-level contributions. Research demonstrates the necessity for a region-wide prioritization of geography education themes that builds on existing scholarship and adapts to emerging needs and trends. The Pan-American Institute for Geography and History, a scholarly society, established a research team with a four-year charge of advancing geography education in the region. Titled “Geographic Literacy for the Countries of the Americas”, the initiative develops research agendas that encompass the diversity of definitions and criteria, scholarly activities, and curricular resources across countries. The purpose of this study …

A Systematic Review Of Creating An Ideal Adult Day Center For People With Dementia In Ghana (Sub-Saharan Africa), Christopher Lartei Aryee

Graduate Research Papers

Historically, the concept of adult day centres for people with dementia and other neurocognitive impairments has emanated from the West. Currently, in most western countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, these facilities have become an important part of the continuum of care for the elderly and disabled (Doherty et al., 2020). These adult daycare centers provide a planned environment for medical supervision, social activities, and recreational therapy on an individual basis. Most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, however, like Ghana, have been slow in developing such facilities. Stigma associated with dementia and mental disorders, coupled with a …

Draft Makerspace Optimization And Procedure For The University Of Northern Iowa And Cedar Falls, Andrew Nii Anang

Graduate Research Papers

The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Makcrspace is a dynamic, communal setting created to encourage members of the community at large to be creative, innovative and engage in hands-on learning. Access to a variety of hand and power tools as well as state-of-the-art technologies is available at this cutting-edge facility. The Makerspace promotes a culture of experimentation and entrepreneurship while offering assistance for multidisciplinary initiatives. The Makerspace incorporates real-world, project-based learning experience, greatly improving UNI's educational environment. It enhances the university's reputation for encouraging innovation and research by drawing in potential students and community members who are interested in cutting-edge …

Graduate Portfolio, Addy Kaune

Graduate Research Papers

No abstract provided.

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Cognitive Decline, Kallie Bakker

Graduate Research Papers

This study analyzes the association between ACEs and cognitive decline as well as both ACEs and cognitive declines relationship to gender. It is a secondary data analysis of the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data. The BRFSS is composed of data collected from adults (individuals aged 18 and older) across the United States. The results of this study indicate that there is indeed a relationship between ACEs and cognitive decline. It was found that Adults who experienced more Adverse Childhood Experiences experience greater cognitive decline. Another significant finding is the significant relationship found between cognitive decline and gender. This …

The Cancellation Station Podcast: The Controversies Of Canceling, Quinn Rauchenecker

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The term “Cancel Culture” has had a firm grasp on mainstream culture and disagreements about whether it is doing more harm than good. While the initial intention of the widespread term was created for good, it is now in a space of critique. For my thesis, I use the creative means of podcasting to explore cancel culture and its controversies.

What Is Working And How Do We Know? Examining The Literacy Curriculum In An Elementary School After Years Of Filling The Holes: A Qualitative Study In Improvement Science, Kimberly Graven

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Administrators and teachers are overwhelmed with initiatives and expectations that they are supposed to juggle on a daily basis. When a problem of practice is identified, how do they know what to do about it? In this study, an administrator and leadership team members of a small, rural elementary school use Improvement Science as a framework to tackle their problem of practice.

Fluency reading proficiency scores have been on a slow decline at South Falls CSD over the past five to six years. Educators have been attempting to identify the holes in the curriculum and “filling the gaps” with various …

Retrospective Analysis On The Impact Of Increased Set Volume On Back Squat And Bench Press One Repetition Maximums In Freshman Ncaa Di Fcs American Football Players, Colin T. Klatt

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Title: Retrospective Analysis on the Impact of Increased Set Volume on back squat and bench press one repetition maximums in Freshman NCAA DI FCS American Football Players

Introduction: American football is the most popular sport in the United States. Over the past few decades, American football has experienced a notable transformation, with a growing emphasis on the necessity for increased strength and power gains. The evolving physical demands in American football underscore the importance of players adapting to these changing conditionings to thrive in the sport. With American football being a sport linked to physical attributes such as size and …

Suspected Vs. Diagnosed Mental Illness, Race, And The Ngri Plea, Alexa Roudabush

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

No abstract provided.

Mackinlay Kantor: The Tangled Past Of A Once-Famous Author, Roy R. Behrens

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.