Digital Commons Network^™

Designing A Document Delivery System For Ucf S Interlibrary Loan Department, Abha Y. Trivedi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Interlibrary Loan entails obtaining copies of library materials not found in the library's collection on behalf of the library's patrons (borrowing), as well as providing copies of library materials requested by other libraries (lending). The dynamic nature of today's library environment is well illustrated by the rapid changes occurring in the role of interlibrary loan. The vision statement of the University of Central Florida Library is: The library performs a central role of adding value to information for the academic community by creatively improving and providing information resources and services. The library strives to create an environment that encourages the …

Investigating A Mississippian Mound Top Structure Utilizing Archaeogeophysics And Archaeology : A Three-Dimensional Application Of Down-Hole Magnetic Susceptibility Technology, Aaron S. Fogel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Dragon And The Chameleon : White Patronage During The Harlem Renaissance, Brianne E. Keeney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Religiosity And Attitudes On Intimacy: Implications For The Hiv/Aids Pandemic In Central Uganda, Herbert Ssewagudde Kibuuka

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study has been to carry out an exploratory survey study of how religion can be instrumentalized in the fight against HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. After years of research, different drugs have been produced; and different methods of combating HIV/AIDS have been used. The pandemic, however, is still on the rise in most of the world. By 2010 for instance, South Africa will have more than two million orphans (of 57 million projected population), and Uganda today has more than 2.5 million orphans (13% of the population). Significant behavior changes across the population can, however, stop and …

The Church And The Voice Of The Other: The Growth Of The Faith Community And Dialogue In The Church, John Amankwah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since the Second Vatican Council ended over forty years ago, the Catholic Church has been struggling to find a firm ground in a world of ever-advancing technological change and increasing globalization. Prior to the convening of the Council, the church virtually isolated itself from the rest of the world because it considered itself as a societa prefecta. Dialogue as a communicative act of openness to the other with willingness to change did not exist in the Church because of its understanding of communication as uni-directional-- from the hierarchy to the rest of the people.

This study examined the church's communicative …

Dialogue As The Labor Of Care: Welcoming A Unity Of Contraries, Marie Baker-Ohler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Dialogue as the labor of care unfolds a vision of how the philosophy of dialogue can assist us as human beings to enact care in our daily lives. In the end, caring is a unity of contraries; blessing and burden, joy and suffering, necessity and triumph. The invitation of dialogue into the communicative life of caring requires bravery and courage and thus creates strong and rare natures.

The impetus of this vision comes from the work of Martin Buber whose ideas have changed the way we view communication and enrich the way we view caring. The additional metaphor of labor, …

A Constructionist Analysis Of Same-Sex Marriage, Sandra Kay Nead

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Same-sex marriage has been heavily debated in academics and in the public sphere. During the 2004 Presidential election same-sex marriage became an issue that polarized the candidates. It has become a lightning rod for public debate. Due to the increasing attention to the controversy of legalizing same-sex marriage, it is an important topic for research. This paper seeks to contribute to the research of same-sex marriage by providing insight into claims-making efforts to define same-sex marriage as a social problem. My findings shed light on this topic from a social constructionist perspective by examining the use of rhetorical idioms of …

Returning Home: Unhcr's Strategies For Repatriation For And Reintegration, Tania N. Domenech

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Under what conditions is the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) able to successfully repatriate and reintegrate refugees to their country of origin? This work aims to evaluate the success of UNHCR's initiative to sponsor the repatriation and reintegration of political refugees who voluntarily chose to return to their homeland. The study of political refugees is essential in International Relations, since it entails the failure of preventing ethnic violence and civil unrest. Overall, the emergence of refugees is the product of the inability of conflict prevention. Voluntary repatriation and reintegration of these refugees provides a message of mending relations, …

Couple Play As A Predictor Of Couple Bonding, Physical Health And Emotional Health, Linda Vanderbleek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional couple counseling research focused on why people end relationships, with research only recently addressing what factors contribute to relationship satisfaction and stability. Yet, throughout this research, minimal attention has been paid to the role of play in couple counseling. The research available on play in couple counseling had varied definitions of couple play and was not based on current couple counseling theory. The research and anecdotal data on couple play proposed a strong relationship between couple play and the factors that predict successful, long-term couple relationships, individual physical health and emotional health. This study applied current couple counseling theory …

Ritual, Myth, And Symbol In The Field Of Nuclear Posturing, Sean Noah Walsh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Since their inception, the actual use of nuclear weapons in conflict is extremely limited. There have been only two documented occurrences which were committed exclusively by the United States. By contrast, however, state posturing with nuclear weapons occurs with regularity transcending historical situations, national wealth, military power, or even the actual possession of nuclear weapons. Rationalist arguments that depict nuclear posturing as a means of deterrence appear insufficient given its tendency to unbalance perceptions of equilibrium, and the public nature in which it occurs. Instead, I examine nuclear posturing by the United States during the Cold War as a form …

Race, Socio-Economic Status, School Level-Resources, And Parental Influences On Fcat Scores In Florida: A Quantitative Study., Tara King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is an abundance of literature that focuses on the standardized test score difference between minority and non-minority students. Within this literature, socio-economic factors, parental influences, and school-level resources have been used to explain the difference in test scores. The purpose of this study is to identify the variables that are thought to significantly influence test score achievement. The data come from the Florida Department of Education and the US Census. Linear regression analyses results are used to examine the relationship between the independent and the dependent variables. The results showed that overall economic factors are more closely related to …

Old And Homeless,A Second Look At Two Surveys, Brian Bigelow

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the comparison between the Rich et al (1995) study done in Tampa Bay, Fl and Burt et al (2001) national study. Rich et al conducted a study of elder homeless Americans and later, Burt et al conducted a replication study on a national level using a similar study. My secondary analysis of the data covered four aspects: Demographics between the two groups of respondents; current housing issues; current alcohol, drug and mental health issues; and finally homeless services being used by both homeless, formally homeless and never homeless respondents. This was all compared to those that were …

Coherence Properties Of Optical Near-Fields, Debbie Arthur

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The National Science Education Standards (1996) support inquiry-based instruction. According to the National Science Education Standards. When children or scientists inquire into the natural world they: ask questions, plan investigations and collect relevant data, and organize and analyze collected data. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of inquiry-based instruction on third-grade students' attitudes and participation in an elementary science classroom. Students were encouraged to ask and answer their own questions. In this study, analysis of data gathered form: pre and post survey, student journals, teacher field notes, and student interviews were triangulated to provide the support …

Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy As A Tool For The Investigation Of Tetracycline Fluorescence In Archaeologicalhuman Bone, Corey Maggiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fluorochromes such as tetracycline have been used to label bone for histomorphometric analysis, measuring bone formation, growth, maintenance, and pathology. More recently, similar fluorescence has been observed in ancient human bone. Attributed to tetracycline (TC) exposure, this phenomenon could affect various aspects of health during life and/or preservation of remains postmortem. Standard epifluorescence microscopy is the most common tool employed in the analysis of these labels. Though valuable, this technique is limited by its inability to penetrate bone three-dimensionally and its inclusion of out-of-focus light, possibly disrupting accurate analysis. Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) has been demonstrated as a valuable …

Art, Aesthetics, And Ecology : Creating A High School Curriculum, Ashley Elizabeth Kalemjian

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

An Inquiry Into Discourse Choices As Indicators Of Gender Attitudes In A Non-Profit Conservative Christian Business, Dawn Marie Kruger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This paper is an inquiry into the discourse styles of men and women who work together in a conservative Protestant Christian business. Many conservative Protestant Christian churches teach that the Bible forbids women from holding positions of authority over men. Yet in the communications department of this particular business, women fill the top three management positions, supervising a mixed-gender staff of 15. Research has shown that men and women subconsciously use language markers that indicate personal attitudes toward the same and the opposite genders. This research project draws on that information while it analyzes the oral and electronic discourse of …

Affective Design In Technical Communication, Michael Alan Rosen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Traditional human-computer interaction (HCI) is based on 'cold' models of user cognition; that is, models of users as purely rational beings based on the information processing metaphor; however, an emerging perspective suggests that for the field of HCI to mature, its practitioners must adopt models of users that consider broader human needs and capabilities. Affective design is an umbrella term for research and practice being conducted in diverse domains, all with the common thread of integrating emotional aspects of use into the creation of information products. This thesis provides a review of the current state of the art in affective …

Risk Factors For Adult Victimization Among Florida's Homeless Women, Rebecca Michelle Weichsel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Much of the existing research on violence against homeless women has concluded that homeless women are particularly vulnerable to violence and experience victimization at rates often exceeding the rates of housed women. Little research, however, has focused upon the specific risk factors that expose homeless women to physical assault, rape, and stalking. Utilizing a sample of 737 homeless women from the Florida cities of Orlando, Jacksonville, Tampa, and Miami, this study investigated the risk factors for experiencing adult personal victimization. The characteristics of homelessness, demographics, drug and alcohol use, subsistence activities, childhood victimization, mental health status, and criminal activities were …

The Maintenance Of Ethnic Culture And Manifestations Of Ethnic Identity In The Life Stories Of Finnish Immigrants, Minna Grantham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examined whether Finnish immigrants show evidence of assimilation or if they have maintained their ethnic culture in the United States. More specifically, the purpose was to examine how the ethnic culture has been maintained and the ways that ethnic identity manifests itself in their life stories. Ten qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Finnish immigrants and children of Finnish immigrants, and emerging themes were identified in the data. The results indicate a strong ethnic identity among Finnish immigrants, yet it appears to be a very much taken for granted experience for them. The immigrants' lives were influenced by …

Investigation Of The Outcomes Of Delivering Training To Spanish Speakers In Standard Spanish Versus Their Native Dialect, Mary Kosarzycki

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present study explored the outcomes of delivering training to Spanish speakers in either their native dialect or in Standard Spanish in the context of a self-running, narrated PowerPoint presentation on a health topic, "The Importance of Vaccinations." The training outcomes that were examined included learning scores; attitudes toward the training; and attitudes toward employment with organizations that employed the same or different dialect-speaking employees, supervisors, and trainers. In addition to examining the effects of ethnicity upon outcomes, this study also examined the effect of age, education level, time in the U.S., and familiarity with the locally dominant subgroup's dialect. …

From Seclusion To Inclusion: A Comparative Case Study Of Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders In Middle Schools, Cheryl Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The transition of students with emotional and behavioral disorders has often been difficult when the move is made from self-contained classes to a less restrictive environment in general education classes. This study analyzed the perceptions of students and teachers when six middle school students with emotional and behavioral disorders moved from self-contained classes to inclusive placements in general education classes in three schools that were part of a large metropolitan school district in the southeastern United States. Data were collected over a 2 month period using semi-structured student interviews and teacher surveys, as well as student records and other school …

Is Gay Really Gay?: A Heterosexual/Homosexual Quality Of Life Comparison, Kristina Dzara

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines differences in quality of life measures between heterosexual and homosexual respondents using General Social Survey data from 1996, 1998, 2000, and 2002. Analyses of quality of life are performed in an effort to compare the heterosexual and homosexual population of the United States. The three main areas which are explored in the analysis are physical health, general happiness, and life excitement. Few differences were found in subjective life satisfaction between heterosexuals and homosexuals; however, some control variables differed. Directions for future research regarding homosexuality and quality of life are discussed.

The Relationship Between Teacher Attitudes Toward Florida History And The Methods And Materials The Teachers Use To Teach Florida History, Elizabeth Dewey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Reacting to an impression that history is not viewed as significant as other curricular subjects such as reading, math, or science, there were multiple purposes for this research: first, to document the attitudes of the fourth grade teachers in one county in Florida towards the subject of Florida history. The teachers' perceptions of the importance of the topic to and for the students, to the administration, and to them personally was surveyed in addition to the perceived preparation of the teachers to teach Florida History. The second purpose was to ascertain the perception of fourth grade teachers regarding preference and …

Designing For A Japanese High-Context Culture: Culture's Influence On The Technical Writer's Visual Rhetoric, Russell Carpenter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the challenges technical writers face when designing documents for high-context cultures, such as the Japanese. When developing documents intended to cross cultural gulfs, technical writers must take into consideration cultural expectations, preferences, and practices in document design and communication. High-context cultures, such as Japan, design documents using drastically different design strategies than those used in the United States. Japanese communication habits are more ambiguous than communication in the United States. Thus, the Japanese often use visuals for their aesthetic appeal, not for their ability to complement the text that surrounds the visual. The ambiguous nature of high-context …

When Life Really Is A Stage: A Test Of Objectification Theory Using Dancers And Non-Dancers, Megan Duesterhaus

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study tested a model of objectification theory proposed by Fredrickson and Roberts (1997) as it applies to disordered eating in a sample of dancers and non-dancers. The methods in this study are based on a previous test of objectification theory done by Tiggeman and Slater (2001). Two samples of participants were given a survey to measure self-objectification and its anticipated consequences. The first sample included 155 women who participated in either ballet, modern, jazz, or hip-hop dance. The second sample included 199 women enrolled in undergraduate classes at the University of Central Florida during the fall semester of 2004. …

Burial Practices In Southern Appalachia., Donna W. Stansberry

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study was conducted in an attempt to determine whether certain burial practices are unique to the people of Southern Appalachia. Eight individuals were interviewed, including a minister and a funeral director. As a result of the research, it was found that, although a strong sense of community and religion still prevails, making certain burial rituals distinctive to the people of Southern Appalachia, they are slowly eroding due to the growing presence of the modern American funeral industry.

Qualitative research methods were used to analyze a segment of the Southern Appalachian population, with literature reviews of related material and in-depth …

Epoch Locale., Jonathan Hounshell

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

My explorations around the world are intertwined with my excavation of the layers of art history. My discoveries about the traditions of the printmaking medium are fused with the heritage I inherit as an artist. This is what is put into my current body of work. With this supporting manuscript, I hope to inform about the technical aspects of my unique aesthetic and to entertain with the ideas behind my current body of work by making connections between my personal visions and experiences and the significance of the artists and craftsman who inspire me.

A Reconstruction Of Moreau Chambers' 1937 Excavation Of A Chickasaw Village In Northeastern Mississippi, Ladonna F. Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An analysis of the archival data relating to the earliest professional investigation of a Chickasaw village site was done in order to reconstruct the excavation and place the artifacts in their appropriate context. A progress report written near the beginning of the project, excavation photographs with annotations and catalogue entries for the primary documentation were available to begin reconstruction. The original field notes have been lost but there were a limited amount of data that were abstracted from them by an earlier researcher. Although an overview of the excavations was derived, there was not sufficient data to allow the reconstruction …

Authentic Versus Tourist : Reexamining A Collection Of West African Art In Light Of New Debates And Old Ambiguities, Sarah Joy Walker

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The issues in defining, describing, and ultimately displaying “authentic” West African traditional art in the museum environment are often wrought with arbitrary distinctions concerning aesthetic value, artistic intention, and function in a ritual atmosphere. I examine a West African art collection, the Fulton-Meyer Collection, at the University of Mississippi Museums, and identify these works of art in terms of contemporary criteria found in both ethnographic and art history texts for specific tribal and ethnic affinities. I compare works deemed “authentic” and those that meet the tourist art criteria. I explore the reasons for these distinctions, and apply the contemporary studies …

Building A Model Of Campus Diversity: An Organization-As-The-Individual Based Approach, Ian Spencer Ray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Diversity is a vital concept when engaging with modern social science research and among higher education practitioners. Despite the pervasive discourse surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, quantification of diversity remains a challenge across the social sciences. This study proposes a new conceptual framework, applies the framework to the quantification of diversity and measurement of its impacts. Further, this study demonstrates the robustness of the new conceptual framework alongside the positive impacts of diversity on institutional outcomes.

The Organization-As-The-Individual (OATI) framework arises from an integration of the social and biological sciences. The framework argues that humans, as biological organisms, …