Digital Commons Network^™

"Perks And Produce Of The Panther Plot": A Multi-Component Program To Engage Uni First-Year Cornerstone Students In Local Foods, Gardening, And Food System Sustainability, Lauren Janning

Honors Program Theses

The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Panther Plot is an on-campus garden originally designed to provide university students with the opportunity to learn practical gardening skills and apply educational concepts concerning sustainable food systems (Aquilani, 2013). When implemented in 2013, the garden was expected to foster relationships and connections throughout the UNI community and offer a diverse learning experience in the pursuit of academic and civic excellence (Aquilani, 2013). Due to resource constraints, no activities have been undertaken to track objectives/indicators associated with the Panther Plot goals. After speaking with students, staff, and faculty associated with the functioning of the …

Emerging Adults' Parent-Child Privacy Management Surrounding Topics Of Career, Religion, And Politics, Maria Butauski

Iowa Journal of Communication

Guided by communication privacy management theory (Petronio, 2002), this study highlights the role of emerging adults' perceptions of parents' behaviors in discussions of career, religion, and politics in their management of the parent-child privacy boundary. Parental behaviors perceived as supportive were associated with more openness and less topic avoidance when discussing career, religion, and politics. However, parental behaviors perceived as interference or neglect were associated with less openness and more topic avoidance across the topics addressed Findings and directions for future research are discussed

Front Matter - Table Of Contents

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

Parent Perspectives On Inclusive Bookclubs, Amy Bucciferro

Graduate Research Papers

An inclusive book club was created to examine the effectiveness of incorporating literacy enhancing techniques and art to aid comprehension. This study focused on the parent perspective of their child participating in the book club and how it affected their child’s life at home. Two parents were interviewed after their child participated in a 3-month book club. The significance of this study is to show educators and families the benefits of having their children participate in inclusive environments. The study also explored how inclusive book clubs can benefit students with different comprehension levels and how families viewed the outcome of …

The Eleven Days Of Christmas: An Analysis Of And Conductor's Guide To Alfred Reed's Russian Christmas Music, Logan Vander Wiel

Graduate Research Papers

In 1944, twenty-three-year-old Alfred Reed, staff arranger and copyist for the 529th Army Air Corps Band in Atlantic City, NJ, was invited to participate in a special concert in Denver, Colorado. There, a select group of musicians from several of the leading wind bands from across the country planned to premiere works by both American and Russian composers with the goal of strengthening relations between the United States and the Soviet Union. Roy Harris organized the event, programming a transcription of a movement from his sixth symphony, titled "Gettysburg," as the American work. 1 The Russian work was to be …

Deception And Discourse: Introduction To The Special Issue, Rachel Collier Murdock

Iowa Journal of Communication

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Self-Disclosure In Interpersonal Relationships Post-Sexual Assault: Giving Survivors A Voice, Annaliese Johnson

Iowa Journal of Communication

Sexual violence is an ongoing troubling issue in America, especially sexual violence against women. In situations of sexual assault, survivors' voices are often silenced due to the presence of rape culture, a complex and deeply ingrained entity, which perpetuates a society in which victims are blamed, and perpetrators are protected. Previous literature on how and why survivors discuss their experiences of assault, and the effects of survivors engaging in interpersonal self-disclosure, is scarce and only scrapes the surface of survivors' stories of disclosures. This study hopes to better explore the thoughts and feelings of young adult female sexual assault survivors …

Organized Gaming And Its Effect On Collegiate Academics, Mark Cochran

Honors Program Theses

With the emergence of gaming as an ever more popular pass time, and professional level eSports gaining steam, collegiate student organizations are beginning to reflect this change as well. This study of 166 college students from across the United States addresses the rise of gaming organizations and their subsequent effects of collegiate academics, namely grade point averages (GPA). The results suggest that participation in an organization dedicated to gaming results in a slightly lower GPA than those involved in other organizations, but still higher than average pointing towards factors of involvement still benefiting students. An important factor to note is …

Biotech Fever: Market Overreaction To Fda Clinical Trials, Ethan J. Hugstad

Honors Program Theses

Picture this: someone buys the stock of a firm that is about to announce the results of a drug’s FDA clinical trial the next day. They go to bed that night, imagining the potential of their newly owned business to finally cure a disease that has impacted so many families. They wake up the next morning to find that the firm has lost half of its market value because the drug failed. This is the stark reality that many small investors face: the unpredictability of price movements in response to nonfinancial information being released to the public.

The Propitious Puzzle For Small Business Owners: Understanding The Section 199a Deduction, Kameron Elizabeth Kehoe

Honors Program Theses

This paper will analyze how the new tax law changes passed by Congress that are effective beginning in the 2018 taxable year, specifically the Section 199A deduction, will impact small businesses. Research will be based on a survey of small business owners and tax professionals in the Cedar Valley area about their knowledge and opinion of the tax law changes. In order to make comparisons between the different businesses, questions will be geared towards how the businesses are planning to calculate the Section 199A deduction and what businesses are planning to do with the extra savings they may have after …

English Proficiency And Earnings Of U.S. Immigrants, Toni F. Moeller

Honors Program Theses

Every year thousands of immigrants come to the United States and look to join the labor force. Most of these immigrants have a first language that is not English. This study analyzes how wage income, business and farm income, and investment income are affected by English proficiency in 2004, 2009, and 2014. I use data from the American Community Survey and a log-linear econometric model to explore this relationship. I conclude that wage income and business and farm income had a positive relationship with English proficiency in 2004, 2009, and 2014 whereas investment income only had a significant positive relationship …

Effective Leadership: Prior Research Vs. The Millennials, Marissa Heinzerling

Honors Program Theses

When the phrase “effective leadership” is heard, the first things most people think of are the leader’s traits and behaviors. However, most fail to consider the role that followers play in leadership. Leaders must adapt to their followers' needs, which do not always remain the same between generations and genders. As leaders throughout organizations strive to remain successful, they must understand how millennials differ in terms of what they consider to be an example of effective leadership. The existing research regarding leadership effectiveness has yet to consider the followers in the millennial generation. The following paper contains a literature review …

The Rise Of Social Media Marketing: How An Entire Industry Has Transformed, Ryan Steven Doser

Honors Program Theses

With social media continuing to play an integral role in our daily lives, being a marketing major and interning for a digital marketing agency, I have real world experience with social media marketing and have expanded on that knowledge through thesis research. There are three main accomplishments I plan to take away from the thesis after completion. The first is to incorporate the social media marketing knowledge I have developed through this process into my future career. Secondly, providing this information and data for readers is important, as social media continues to evolve and become more prevalent in the business …

Showing Your Pride: Image As Interpellation In The Pride Study, Valerie Rubinsky

Iowa Journal of Communication

This personal essay investigates the online presentation of The PRIDE Study: a longitudinal health study for members of the LGBTQ community that aims to improve understanding of LGTBQ health care issues and increase the wellbeing of the group. The study utilizes the rhetorical concepts of interpellation and identification to examine the PRIDE Study Website.

Waiting For The Mail: A Collection Of Short Stories, James Matthew Keane

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

This collection of six pieces of original short fiction is, in general, a reflection upon my on-going questions concerning identity. In particular, these stories delve into the nature of masculinity through an exploration of male relationships—fathers, sons, husbands, and brothers.

3d Printed Relief Valve Analysis And Validation, John Anthony Dutcher Iii

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Additive Manufacturing allows for faster, lower cost product development including customization, print at point of use, and low cost per volume produced. This research uses Stereolithography produced prototypes to develop an improvement to an existing product, the internal pressure relief valve of a positive displacement pump. Four 3D printed prototype assemblies were developed and tested in this research. The relief valve assemblies consisted of additive manufacturing produced pressure vessel components, post processed, and installed on the positive displacement pump with no additional machining. Prototype designs were analyzed with Computational Fluid Dynamic simulation to increase flow through the valve. The simulation …

Christopher Phalen, Graduate Conducting Recital Abstract, Christopher Richard Phalen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Christopher R. Phalen planned and conducted a compilation recital during the Fall semester of 2017. All concerts took place on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. On October 17, 2017, Phalen conducted the UNI Women’s Chorus and Varsity Men’s Glee Club in the Great Hall of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. On November 2, 2017, Phalen conducted the UNI Concert Chorale and UNI Singers in the Great Hall of the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center. On November 3, 2017, Phalen conducted UNI Cantorei and members of the Northern Iowa Symphony Orchestra as part of the Bach Cantata …

Affective Risk Perception In Automotive Environments, Dane Atkins

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Traversing the automotive environment exposes drivers to a risk of property damage, injury, and death. This risk varies across the road network. This research questions whether drivers are capable of accurately perceiving their own exposure to risk in this environment. Analysis begins with an assessment of risk exposure at roadway intersections (as measured in terms of crash frequency, severity, and mixed-weighting methods). This assessment provides risk indices for a cross-section of road intersections across an urban Iowa community. These indices are then used in the development of an experimental visual cognition survey used to record risk perceptions of roadway sites …

Spatial Disparities And Socio-Economic Conditions : A Food Desert Analysis Of Greater Des Moines, Iowa, David Jensen

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Current research suggests that socioeconomic makeup of geographic areas within a city has implications on location and accessibility of food retail stores. Disadvantaged areas with relatively poor access to healthy and affordable food are what literature has identified as “food deserts”. The purpose of this research is to explore the relationships between geographic areas with relatively low socioeconomic characteristics and food stores within the greater Des Moines, Iowa area. By way of survey, grocery and convenience stores are measured on their healthy food quality, advertisements, and other factors. GIS techniques are then used to measure accessibility to stores by low …

Perceived Causes And Methods Of Examination Malpractice In The Malawian Education System: A Case Study Of Secondary Schools In South East Education Division (Seed), Fiddelis Blessings Makaula

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The purpose of this study was to examine perceived causes and methods of examination malpractice in the Malawian education system.

Adult- And Peer-Created Motivational Climates In Sport And Injury Rehabilitation, Rachel Majewski

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The motivational climate is the environment, within an achievement setting, created by influential individuals (e.g., coach, athletic trainer, peers) through situational cues, expectations, feedback, and rewards. The way individuals within the setting interpret the motivational climate influences emotions, values, and behaviors which then directly encourages a specific state of participation. Coaches, athletic trainers, and peers need to be aware of the motivational climate they generate and the potentially constructive and detrimental effects on athletes in sport and injury rehabilitation.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the motivational climate in sport, sport commitment, and injury occurrence. …

Mental Health Literacy: The Knowledge Of Mental Health Literacy And Help-Seeking Attitudes Among Ncaa Division I Student-Athletes And Non-Athletes, Danielle E. Schuck

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Context: By the age of 24 years, diagnosable mental disorders begin to develop in one out of four Americans (Kaier et al., 2015). Young people also have deficits in knowledge about mental health literacy. This deficiency is one reason why individuals lack the ability to recognize mental illness and the appropriate measures needed to take to seek professional help (Kelly et al., 2007). This study investigates the mental health literacy and help-seeking attitudes of NCAA Division I student-athletes and non-athletes. Objective: Investigate the knowledge of mental health literacy and help-seeking attitudes of collegiate student-athletes and non-athletes. Design: Non-experimental, correlation and …

Teachers' Interactions With A Young Child With: Comparing Ipad And Non-Ipad Use, Sohyun Meacham, Saeed Almalki

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was investigating teachers' interaction with a young child with ASD when they were using iPad to support language and communication skills development. A case study method was applied. Business-as-usual classroom interaction was analyzed. Utterances were divided into two conditions (iPad-use and non-iPad-use) to compare effectiveness on supporting the child's engagement in teacher-child interaction. In addition, interviews with teachers were conducted to collect more information about their own perspectives regarding iPad use with the student with ASD. Results of the study indicate that child-teacher joint attention and teachers' verbal assistance happened more frequently when iPad was …

Exploring The Academic, Social, And Cultural Experiences Of English Language Learners From Saudi Arabia At A Midwest University In The U.S., Sukainah A. Al Subia

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The world is experiencing an increasing number of international students who leave their countries to study abroad. The value and benefit of studying abroad influences many students to go on this educational journey. Research conducted over the past 20 years indicates that studying abroad provides both rewarding and challenging experiences. For example, studying abroad exposes students to exciting new cultures and places, developing academic/language skills and gaining social and cultural exposures which in turn enrich their global experience (Geeraert et al., 2014; Lillyman & Bennett, 2014; Wu et al., 2015). However, studying abroad can also pose certain challenges, including loneliness, …

Information Literacy: Expectations Of High School Students In Joint Enrollment Courses, Steven Witmer

Graduate Research Papers

Dual enrollment students are in a unique position where they are simultaneously high school students and college students. This study investigated the information literacy expectations for dual enrollment students by analyzing the language of six course syllabi used in dual enrollment Composition courses. The research questions investigated included what the course syllabi communicated about information literacy skills, library resources, and institutional and high school libraries and librarians.

While the sample of six course syllabi reviewed for this study was relatively small, it is clear that instructors have high expectations of their students and expect them to produce college-level writing and …

Embracing New Experiences: Young Adult Literature About The Immigrant Experience, Ashley Hoppenjan

Graduate Research Papers

The purpose of this study was to identify themes in quality young adult realistic fiction about the immigrant experience in the United States. The researcher questioned which themes are evident in young adult immigrant literature. To pursue this information, the researcher analyzed highly recommended young adult realistic fiction published from 2000 to 2017. Twelve novels were selected, read, and coded. After the first reading, two novels were eliminated; therefore, ten novels are reported. Analysis revealed six themes including: causes of immigration, assimilation, perseverance, identity, socioeconomic status, and stereotypes.

A Literature Review Examining The Best Practices Of Volunteer Programs, Cara K. Reilly

Graduate Research Papers

Many organizations utilize volunteers and understand the countless benefits they add to an organization. Volunteers provide essential services in a cost-effective manner, connect organizations to the community, engage in promotional activities and many more helpful activities. The national value of volunteer's worth per hour is estimated at $23.56 (Independent Sector, 2016). However, one must know that a quantifiable value placed on a person's skill, time, and effort is complicated. Volunteers' worth and services exceed any monetary value.

Volunteer coordinators can measure the success of their volunteer programs by their retention rates. Keeping a high retention rate is important to any …

Representations Of Health And Wellness In Children's Literature, Emily Kate Murphy

Honors Program Theses

The term health is multifaceted. Health can refer to one’s physical, spiritual, or mental state, among other things. The goal of this study was to determine how educators can use children’s literature to support students being introduced to healthy habits regarding these aspects at a young age, through children’s literature. A content analysis was conducted over a selection of 16 children’s literature texts. It was organized by thematic categories matching the aforementioned facets of health and assessed through a Likert scale. This analysis resulted in the development of a website intended to serve as a tool for teachers to implement …

Analysis Of Ambient Particulate Concentration Near A Coal Storage Pile, Jennifer Wittenburg

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Fugitive dust sources such as aggregate storage piles contribute significantly to the total suspended particulate levels in the ambient air. Particulate levels are monitored and regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency to protect public health and welfare. This study monitored particulate concentrations in the ambient air near a coal storage pile. Air samplers and weather stations were placed at two locations, one to the north of the pile and one to the south of the pile, and were used to collect particulate and weather related data.

The data were analyzed to determine the origin of the particulate and to identify …

An Investigation Of Early Childhood Outdoor Play Areas And Social And Emotional Play, Brandy A. Smith

Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

The earliest early childhood programs were thought of as a garden for children or kindergarten (Snider, 1900). The father of kindergarten, Frederick Froebel (1885), considered the garden space critical in early childhood programs. While there is an understanding of the importance of outdoor play for young children, many current issues and challenges have drastically reduced the amount of time children spend in the outdoor environment (Kuh, Ponte, & Chau, 2013). Much of the time children do spend outside is devoted to physical movement, often in environments with traditional manufactured playground equipment (Czalczynska-Podolska, 2014). Outdoor play holds potential for multi-dimensional (Nedovic …