Digital Commons Network^™

Arizhio: Tales Of Glorious Manifest Destiny, Clinton Craig

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This is a book of short stories with a critical introduction. In theme, the stories seek to find the border between the Midwest and the Southwest of America by focusing on Ohio and Arizona. Some of the stories seek to exemplify “experimental” fiction, while the critical introduction seeks to define “experimental.” In addition, the introduction theorizes about the role of setting in linking collections and characterization.

Otherwise Sinking, Lena Ziegler

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This is a book-length work of prose including fiction, creative non-fiction, with small amounts of prose poetry all focusing on the exploration of female sexuality, gender roles, relationships among men and women, and mothers and daughters. The aim of the individual pieces in this collection is to enter the cultural conversation of these issues by presenting a hybrid of genres that beg for an understanding of truth vs. fiction, and the fine line between those things when dealing with matters of the body and mind.

The Effect Of Embedding The Restricted Interests Of Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Text On Reading Comprehension, Brittany Marshall

Dissertations

Reading comprehension deficits are common for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and the rise in prevalence of this disorder has resulted in an increased demand for evidence-based strategies for teaching reading comprehension to this population. Research has found an increase in desired behaviors when a restricted interest (RI) or interests, a diagnostic feature of ASD, is utilized in intervention techniques. In a pilot study, El Zein, Solis, Lang, and Kim (2016) found that embedding the RI of a student with ASD in text increased that student’s reading comprehension performance. The current study further investigated the effect of embedding the …

Will Teachers Implement Instruction Aligned To The Common Core State Standards?: Utilizing A Predictive Model, Audrey Lynn Harper

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) as a predictive model for secondary (i.e., grades six through twelve) teachers’ intent to implement instruction aligned to the Common Core State Standards. Two differing TPB models were investigated utilizing a regression analysis. The first model included TPB elements including attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control (i.e., self-efficacy) while the second model included two additional measures including perceived knowledge and accurate knowledge. Because a measure for secondary teachers’ sense of efficacy for literacy instruction did not exist to measure the construct in …

Epikarst Hydrogeochemical Changes In Telogenetic Karst Systems In South-Central Kentucky, Leah Jackson

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Telogenetic epikarst carbon sourcing and transport processes and the associated hydrogeochemical responses are often complex and dynamic. Among the processes involved in epikarst development is a highly variable storage and flow relationship that is often influenced by the type, rate, and amount of dissolution kinetics involved. Diffusion rates of CO2 in the epikarst zone may drive hydrogeochemical changes that influence carbonate dissolution processes and conduit formation. Most epikarst examinations of these defining factors ignore regional-scale investigations in favor of characterizing more localized processes. This study aims to address that discrepancy through a comparative analysis of two telogenetic epikarst systems under …

Acceptance And Commitment Therapy As An Eating Disorder Intervention, Sara Elizabeth Wallace

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study is to determine if a new intervention using techniques from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT; Hayes et al., 1999) in combination with activities from The Body Project (Stice et al., 2009), will be able to reduce negative body image concerns and increase mindfulness skills in college females. Prior to receiving the intervention, participants completed a pre-test measuring their current body image concerns as well as mindfulness abilities. The intervention was administered in a large, group setting and took approximately 35 minutes to administer. After receiving the intervention, participants completed the same assessment measures as the …

The Relationship Between Sexual Abuse And Body Image Of Members Of The United States Military, Chelsea Anne Taylor

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of sexual abuse on body image of United States military service members and veterans. Participants completed an online questionnaire (n = 63) that measured their demographics, military status, sexual abuse experiences, combat experiences, relationships during deployment, and body image. Average scores on body image measures from participants who experienced sexual abuse (n = 10) were compared with average scores on body image measures from participants who did not experience sexual abuse (n = 49). Results indicate that there was not a significant difference in body image between service members who …

Ua64/2 The Challenge: Magazine For The Center For Gifted Studies (No. 42, Summer 2017), Center For Gifted Studies, Tracy Inman Editor

Gifted Studies Publications

No abstract provided.

Ua10/1 Cec Newsletter, Wku Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex

CEC Publications

Newsletter created by and about the Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex.

• Moore, Mary. Director's Corner
• Autism After 21 Day
• LifeSkills Run for Autism Is a Success!
• Thank You, President & Mrs. Ransdell
• Family Resource Program Fun Day Is a Success!
• Family Resource Program Holds Coffee Hour May 12 & July 28
• KAP College Circle of Support Has a Great Semester!
• Congratulations KAP Graduates
• Planting the Seeds for Tomorrow - Community Garden
• Creating without Rules
• Serving Up Autism Awareness
• CEC Receives WHAS Crusade for Children Grant
• Upcoming Events

A Feasibility Investigation Of Modular Portable “Chelson Shelters” Micro-Homes To Alleviate Housing Deficiencies: A Case Study In Mithi, Tharpakar, Pakistan, Muhammad Usman Ghani

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Many people in Mithi, Tharparkar do not have proper housing, face an unhygienic water supply, and have no sanitation facilities. These factors contribute to disease, suffering and the inability to rise above their destitute existence. The idea for building portable houses for the people of Mithi is presented to provide them with better living conditions and where they can feel a sense of security, ownership and sanitation. Research on existing building systems and materials showed that the most feasible structure for the desert environment is modular panels attached to a core unit that contains all the basic plumbing and electrical …

Overcoming Failure: Characteristics Of Leaders Who Have Successfully Recovered From A Significant Setback, Richard Leo Hunt

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to study the characteristics of leaders who have experienced a setback or failure and have bounced back to success. A qualitative research design employing an interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) methodology was used. Semi-structured interviews with open ended questions allowed the respondents to share valuable insights into the thoughts, feelings, and perceptions of their individual experiences. The results suggest that after experiencing a setback, a process develops where feelings and thoughts are experienced immediately following the event that is followed by a period of coping and adapting, a transition to a resilient state, and behavioral …

A Case Study Of Hanban’S Chinese Language Teaching Program At Western Kentucky University: Developmental History And Preliminary Outcomes, Sheng-Huei Yu

Dissertations

This case study provides a historical overview of foreign language development (especially Chinese) in the United States and the growing number of Confucius Institutes (CIs) established in the U.S through Hanban, China’s National Office for Teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language. This case study specifically captures the growth of the Western Kentucky University (WKU) CI from its inception in 2010. According to Hanban’s annual assessment reporting guidelines, since the conception of CIs sheer quantity of teachers and students has always been the primary focus. Therefore, the growth in the numbers of Hanban Chinese teachers and number of students enrolled in …

Exploring The Prevalence Of Learning Styles In Educational Psychology And Introduction To Education Textbooks: A Content Analysis, Mary Katherine Ryle

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The implementation of learning styles models in the classroom remains a heavily debated topic in education. Notable problems with utilization of learning styles in the classroom include a lack of empirical research support and potential maladaptive effects on student learning and motivation. The primary research questions focused on the presence and quantity of learning styles discussion in the text, which definitions, models, and recommendations were presented, and which of the cited references were based on empirical data. The answers to these questions were compared between educational psychology and introduction to education textbooks. A content analysis of introduction to education (n …

Action Items, Wku Graduate Council

Graduate School

Overview of action items handled by the Graduate Council.

Traces Volume 45, Number 2, Kentucky Library Research Collections

Traces, the Southern Central Kentucky, Barren County Genealogical Newsletter

Traces, the South Central Kentucky Genealogical Society's quarterly newsletter, was first published in 1973. The Society changed its name in 2016 to the Barren County Historical Society. The publication features compiled genealogies, articles on local history, single-family studies and unpublished source materials related to this area.

The Prevalence Of Six Sigma Trends In The Construction Industry In Pakistan, Muhammad M. Hassan

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Economic development in any country or area depends heavily on the performance of the construction industry. This is because the subsequent development of infrastructure increases economic activity, living standards, direct foreign investments, and business opportunities. The construction industry in Pakistan also plays a significant role in its economic activity, and the government’s focus towards increasing infrastructure development provides the construction industry with growth prospects. It is observed that quality management practices in the Pakistan construction industry are highly inadequate to enhance quality. The construction industry there is highly challenged with inadequate delays in projects and project quality. The need for …

Impact Of Expressive Intensity And Stimulus Location On Emotion Detection, Brittany Nicole Groh

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Previous research demonstrates that the age of an observer, the peripheral location of a face stimulus on a display, and the intensity of the emotion expressed by the face all play a role in emotion perception. Older individuals have more difficulty identifying emotion in faces, especially at lower expressive intensities. The purpose of the current study was to understand how younger and older adults’ abilities to detect emotion in facial stimuli presented in the periphery would be affected by the intensity of the emotional expressions and the distance that the expressions are presented away from the center of the display. …

Supply Chain Performance In The Pharmaceutical Industry In Pakistan, Fakir Moiz Bokhari

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This research paper investigated the performance of the supply chain system in the pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan. The study was based on the hypothesis that the adopted supply chain systems lack proper structures to deal with the challenges of the business environment in which they operate, and as such were underperforming. Therefore, the objective was to ascertain the nature and the dynamics of the SCM (Supply Chain Management) system used in the drug industry. The objectives of the research were anchored on three factors that include Supply Chain Flexibility/Agility Performance, Supply Chain Resource Performance, and Supply Chain Output Performance. These …

Longitudinal Predictors Of Parental Sensitivity: The Role Of Parent Personality And Infant Temperament Across Early Infancy, Lauren Grace Bailes

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Parents play a critical role in their infants’ social and emotional development (Zeifman, 2003). High parental sensitivity contributes to greater infant attachment security (De Wolff & van IJzendoorn, 1997), as well as better compliance later in life (van Berkel et al., 2015). Personality influences how parents respond to their infants, such that parents higher in neuroticism are more controlling and less stimulating (Clark, Kochanska, & Ready, 2000), and less responsive (Kochanska, Friesenborg, Lange, & Martel, 2004). However, previous studies have found mixed results with parent extraversion. Some studies found that high parental extraversion could lead to more parent responsiveness (Clark …

Review Of The Sub-Saharan Africa Species Of Dignomus And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Bostrichoids (Coleoptera: Bostrichoidea: Ptinidae), Amelia Lesbeth Smith

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Sub-Saharan Africa is home to nine described species of Dignomus Wollaston, 1862. Study and dissection of specimens has led me to the hypothesis that there are nine undocumented species in this region. Descriptions and images of the new species are presented and discussed, along with a compiled list of all described species from the Sub- Saharan region. The probable biology as geographic distributions for members of the genus are also given.

Additionally, a phylogenetic analysis of 95 species of bostrichoids using CO1 molecular data was done with a focus on the origins of Dignomus and Pseudomezium. parsimony and bayesian analyses …

Workforce Investment Act In Western Kentucky: An Evaluation Of Program Service Outcomes, Matt S. Luckett

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Workforce development programs designed to provide individuals with the skills necessary to gain employment have been in existance for over 80 years. The Workforce Investment Act (WIA) was a federal workforce development program that ran from 2000 to 2014. The WIA provided three main programs: youth, adult, and dislocated worker. The focus of this research was to evaluate the individual services in the adult and dislocated worker programs in the Western Kentucky Workforce Investment Area and identify the most effective service in each program.

The adult and dislocated worker programs each offered three tiered services: core, intensive, and training. Individuals …

Shower Atomization, Chirag Ayappa Ravishankar,

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The research will help to design a shower for Dr. Chelson’s shelter, which can control the water flow, pressure and duration of the shower, which optimizes the utilization of water. The showers could be used in drought-hit areas where water is very scarce, as daily sanitation needs are necessary to keep a person safe and healthy without wasting water. The report from, World Health Organization shows that showers consume the most water. A timed shower could help resolve this issue through eliminating the wastage. Eco-friendly environmentalists may also be attracted to the showers, as their main purposes are to save …

Examination Of Leed Certified Building’S Electricity Usage, Nasim Amiri

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The number of buildings seeking LEED certification has been growing steadily over the past few years. In this study, three academic buildings which were designed and built to LEED certification standards were targeted in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Their electricity consumption and cost effectiveness were examined and compared with predesigned LEED efficiency models of those three buildings. This research directly examined cost effectiveness of LEED buildings in terms of electricity usage. Three case studies were completed to find the initial and on-going electricity costs of LEED buildings and to verify the LEED standard results. LEED aspects of these buildings were discussed …

Synthesis,Structure And Properties Of Ruthenium Polypyridyl Metalloligand Based Metal-Organic Frameworks, Mamatha Polapally

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been extensively studied because of their amazing applications in gas storage, purification, photocatalysis, chemical sensing, and imaging techniques. Ruthenium polypyridyl complexes have been broadly considered as photosensitizers for the conversion of solar energy and photoelectronic materials. With this aspect, we have synthesized three new ruthenium polypyridyl based MOFs ([Ru(H2bpc)Cu(bpc)(Hbpc)2(H2O)]·5H2O (1), [Ru(H2bpc)(Fe(bpc)(Hbpc)2(H2O)2]·6H2O (2) and [Ru(H2bpc)Ni(bpc)(Hbpc)2(H2O)2]·6H2O (3)) from ruthenium(III) chloride, bpc (2,2’- bipyridine-4,4’-dicarboxylic acid) ligand, and 3d M(II) metal ions (M(II)= Cu(II), Fe(II), Ni(II)). These MOFs were synthesized under hydro or solvothermal conditions by using water, ethanol or methanol as solvents. The crystal structures of the new compounds …

Examining The Influence And Role Of Pharmacogenetics Among Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Nuha Shaker

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Pharmacogenetics is the study of genomic-guided individualized drug prescription that plays an important role in preventing the severe adverse effects of drugs, decreasing the time and cost of therapeutic choices, and directing healthcare professionals to choose medications that are effective and safe. It is noteworthy that this approach becomes highly beneficial in patients suffering from chronic diseases or disorders, since these conditions may require multiple and long term pharmacological therapies, as in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, public acceptance is a major challenge when implementation of pharmacogenetics merges into clinical practice. The purpose of this study is a) …

One-Step Laser-Induced Hydrogen Generation From Coal Powders In Water, Dovletgeldi Seyitliyev

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

This study presents a simple way of obtaining hydrogen gas (H2) from various ranks of coal, coke, and graphite using nanosecond laser pulses. Powder samples of coal and graphite with and without water were irradiated with 1064 nm and 532 nm pulses from an Nd: YAG laser for 45 minutes under air and argon atmospheres. It was observed that 532 nm laser pulses were more effective than 1064 nm pulses in gas generation and both were nonlinearly correlated with respect to the laser energy density. Mainly hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO) were observed. The H2 to CO ratio shows …

Personality Factors, Obsessive-Compulsive Behavior, And Sexual Fantasy As Predictors Of Paraphilic Disorder Intensity, Ethan Jack Edwards

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Researchers vary on their definitions of paraphilia. A difference exists between an individual possessing a paraphilia versus an individual possessing a paraphilic disorder. Hanson (2010) proposed a dimensional model of sexual deviance that includes a measure of intensity. However, research on sexual intensity has been lacking. A majority of existing research focuses on the potential risk factors of possessing a paraphilia or paraphilic disorder (e.g., criminality). There is less focus on whom in the population has the potential to develop a paraphilia; or which factors predict paraphilic behavior.

The Big Five personality factors (openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and …

Measuring Inorganic Carbon Fluxes From Carbonate Mineral Weathering From Large River Basins: The Ohio River Basin, Autumn B. Singer

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Rising atmospheric CO2 concentrations have motivated efforts to better quantify reservoirs and fluxes of Earth’s carbon. Of these fluxes from the atmosphere, one that has received relatively little attention is the atmospheric carbon sink associated with carbonate mineral dissolution. Osterhoudt (2014) and Salley (2016) explored new normalization techniques to improve and standardize a process for measuring this flux over large river basins. The present research extends this work to the 490,600 km2 Ohio River drainage basin and 11 subbasins. The study estimated the DIC flux leaving these basins between October 1, 2013, and September 30, 2014, based on secondary hydrogeochemical, …

Stem Lessons For Promoting 21st Century Learning Standards, Cynthia Faye Sage

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify if and how STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) lessons help student progress toward achieving benchmarks in AASL (American Association of School Librarians) 21st Century Learner Standards. This study was conducted in the library media center with 48 kindergarten students participating. The researcher taught mini-lessons for the AASL Standards prior to students participating in the STEM activities. The data were collected on 23 benchmarks included in the AASL Standards. Students were rated on these Standards as beginning, progressing, or achieving. Data analysis indicated that the STEM lessons were an effective means for providing …

Ua80/4 Treasurer's Report, W Club

University Organizations

Treasurer's report for the August 2017 meeting of the W Club Board of Directors.