Digital Commons Network^™

Saudi Perspective On Using Efl Resources To Improve Their English Pronunciation In Saudi Public Institutions, Khadija Abdullah Alzahrani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Due to the lack of a pronunciation curriculum and materials in Saudi universities, EFL students individually select use different resources to help with their English pronunciation difficulties. Therefore, this study aims to describe (a) Saudi students' perspectives and attitudes toward pronunciation resources that may help with their pronunciation (b) if they use them to help with their weaknesses, and (c) the teachers’ perspectives on their students' pronunciation difficulties, their knowledge of the resources the universities provide, and what they use to help the students' pronunciation learning and development. This study investigates what Saudi students think they need to learn pronunciation, …

Academic Medical Center Governance: A Study Focused On The University Of Mississippi Medical Center, Jacob Daniels

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Academic Medical Centers (AMCs) face many challenges, which can lead to financial constraints. For AMCs to remain sustainable in today’s healthcare system, the literature presents a compelling case for expansion to mitigate their financial burdens. Expansion often requires quick decision-making, and as a result, scholars repeatedly discuss the importance of AMC governance being both nimble and efficient. The University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) substantially impacts Mississippians, and the institution must remain a thriving center for education, research, and healthcare for the state. Given the importance of efficient and nimble governance in the institution’s sustainability, this Dissertation in Practice (DiP) …

L2 Perception Of The S-Aspirated Phone In Spanish, Raúl A. Gamboa

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation deals with the perception of the aspirated coda /s/ by Spanish L2 learners. Second language research, with some exceptions, focuses on whether L1English–L2 Spanish learners can perceive the aspirated variant, showing that only advanced learners with time spent in s-weakening regions succeed at the task. L2 studies about s-aspiration have yet to investigate the perception of the aspirated coda /s/ in different environments across actual phrases and sentences. This study focuses on the intelligibility of pairs of ambiguous phrases and sentences perceptually differentiated only by the aspirated coda /s/. Additionally, it investigates the prosodic stress´ influence on the …

Ground Level: Poems, Margaret Graber

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

“Ground Level” is a full-length poetry collection situated at the intersection of ecopoetics and psychology, where the theme of “grounding” one’s self continually emerges in the midst of personal geographical changes and experiences of collective social trauma during a period of prolonged immersion in the natural world. By exploring through an array of poetic forms, structures, and experimentations including golden shovels, contrapuntals, haikus, an abecedarian, a sestina, grounding exercises, poems featuring 20th century children’s television host Fred Rogers, and a sonnet crown which also explores queerness in the 21st century Southeast, the speaker engages with a number of different methods …

Dear God The Light, Suado Abdirahman Sheikhhassan

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This creative thesis contains original poetry by Suado Sheikhassan.

Code-Switching In The Emotionalnarratives Of Bilingual Speakers Of English And Arabic, Yasmeen Alruwaili

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores code-switching (CS) in the emotional narratives of bilingual speakers of English and Arabic. Exploring the immigrant Arab community in Mississippi, USA contributes to the literature gap and provides valuable insights into the correlation between codeswitching and bilingual identities in various emotional, social, and cultural contexts. This study examines the complex relationship between linguistic choices, cultural identity, and emotional expressions in bilingual contexts, offering cross-linguistic and cross-cultural insights into codeswitching practices. It also seeks to investigate the types of linguistic structures that appear in the narratives of bilingual speakers and the reasons behind their choices.

In order to …

Ceremony On The Frontier: An Analysis Of A Thirteenth And Fourteenth Century Multi-Phase Mississippian Structure At The Carter Robinson Site, Lee County, Virginia, Taylor Greene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Carter Robinson (44LE10, occupied from ca. A.D. 1200-1400) is a Mississippian mound site located on the frontier between the edge of the Mississippian world and the beginning of the Radford culture area in southwestern Virginia. Although several structures have been identified and studied in the past, only one structure has been featured intentional burning and reconstruction throughout the occupation of the site, and is designated as Structure 2. This structure is also unique due to its location at the site, on a small rise about 80-meters east of the mound, a construction area typically reserved for the homes of minor …

Negotiating Intersectional Identities In The Music Culture Of The Deeper Christian Life Ministries In Nigeria, If-Not-God Moses

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Christianity is the largest religion in the world with a population of over two billion. More than ever before, the rapid growth of this religion is getting more diverse due to a great variety of doctrines and practices that it accommodates. From the inception of Christianity, music has been prominent and a powerful bedrock of its religious worship. This thesis, underpinned by the paradigm of sound as a social structure as espoused by Steven Feld, examines the intersectional identities in the music culture of the Deeper Christian Life Ministries (DCLM) in Nigeria. This research aims to fathom the musical functions …

The Emergence Of Discursive Leadership In Online Commmunities, Chad Diaz Ii

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this Dissertation is to provide a detailed rationale for the way in which I address the following research questions in my dissertation: “What characteristics of user discourse lead to the emergence of leadership in online communities?” To this end, I provide a literature review of studies on online communities, examine past definitions, and propose an integrated definition of online communities. Focusing on the specific domain of leadership in online communities, I conduct a literature review of early and seminal articles published in this domain with the objective of identifying the foundational theoretical frameworks and the factors that …

Investigating The Use Of Politeness Strategies In Expressing Disagreements Among Saudi Efl Teachers On Twitter, Rowida Ali Al Ghamdi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigates the politeness strategies employed by Saudi EFL teachers when expressing their disagreements on Twitter. It examines the factors affecting Saudi EFL teachers' choice of politeness and disagreement strategies. It compares Saudi EFL teachers' disagreement expressions with those of American ESL teachers on Twitter. Four instruments were utilized to collect the data: retrieving the corpus of tweets, observing the thread of tweets (for Saudi EFL and American ESL teachers), using an open-ended questionnaire, and follow-up interviews (for Saudi EFL teachers). This study finds that the on-record strategy was the most frequently used among Saudi EFL teachers, as found …

El Fenómeno Del ‘Lleísmo’ En La Comunidad Boliviana En Buenos Aires, Argentina, Stefano Le Pham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

El yeísmo es un fenómeno que ocurre en varias partes de los países hispanohablantes y cada vez está más difundido. Una de las variedades del yeísmo más características es la de Buenos Aires, conocido como el yeísmo porteño o bonaerense que se caracteriza por utilizar el alófono palatal sordo [ ʃ ] producto del rehilamiento que se ha demostrado en estudios previos. Este estudio busca analizar el fenómeno opuesto conocido como el lleísmo en la comunidad boliviana en Buenos Aires, más precisamente en las verdulerías que son atendidas en su mayoría por bolivianos. A través de esta investigación se va …

Subject Ellipsis In Japanese And Clues For Non-Native Learners, Akiko Murakami

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated whether learners of Japanese are less accurate in selecting appropriate reference of omitted subjects than native speakers and in which environment the learners have the most difficulties. Also, it looked into whether there is a correlation between the accuracy of the selecting and knowledge of the clue grammar. The survey had a subject selecting test and a knowledge test. The subject selecting test included two different environments: Giving/Receiving verbs and Honorific verbs. The knowledge test also covered these two environments. Giving/Receiving verbs have three types: ageru (give), kureru (give), and morau (receive); and Honorific verbs has two …

Buscando Perdón: Validation And Considerations For A Spanish Translation Of The Forgiveness Reconciliation Inventory, Mario David Sobrino

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With influences from both cultural norms and commonly held spiritual beliefs, members of the Latinx population are vulnerable to enabling unhealthy interpersonal relationships that primarily benefit others while potentially harming their own wellness. A Spanish translation (called the Inventario del Perdón y Reconciliación [IPR]) for the Forgiveness and Reconciliation Inventory (FRI) was created to identify its validity and reliability as a potential clinical resource for Spanish speaking mental health counseling clients dealing with the emotional difficulties of forgiveness and unjust cultural expectations within their relationships. Factor analysis on the IPR reported comparable yet slightly reduced psychometric properties to the FRI. …

Stem And Pre-Health Students’ Diminishing Online Conversation Volume Regarding Majors And Careers Within The Field: Why Higher Education Should Care, Susan Roh

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the STEM and pre-health online mention volume change regarding STEM and pre-health majors, careers, and universities, with the data collection period encompassing August of 2018 through June of 2021. We evaluated if the mention sentiment shifted between academic year periods. The data gathered for this study was procured in collaboration with Campus Sonar and the social-listening tool of Brandwatch, which allowed for specifications of the data collected. Kruskal-Wallis tests were used to determine the means of the majors, careers, and universities mentions and mean sentiment volumes. Changes in not only online conversation …

Using Diverse Children's Literature To Enhance Social Emotional Learning, Lashana T. Middleton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study focused on examining the use of diverse children's literature and social-emotional learning (SEL) curricula to enhance the social-emotional competence skills of Pre-K students in general education classrooms. Understanding and developing these skills during early childhood has been shown to be essential for healthy child development, and early education teachers play a critical role in this process. The findings from this study suggest that while teachers have a positive view and awareness of the theoretical foundations of SEL, they may need additional training and support to effectively implement and incorporate SEL strategies in their practices. Specifically, the study highlighted …

Attitudes Toward Arabic-English Code Switching In Saudi Society, Tareq Aldosari

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study is designed to explore the attitudes of Saudi students at Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University toward code switching between colloquial Arabic and English and toward borrowing from the English language in Saudi society, considering two significant variables: major studied and gender. The study utilized two tools: a) questionnaires that the participants fill out after listening to recordings demonstrating code switching, borrowing and Arabic-only and b) interviews that were conducted to explore further the participants’ attitudes and the reasons behind them. Both tools considered three dimensions: superiority, attractiveness, and dynamism of the speakers. One hundred twenty questionnaires were distributed …

“To Save My Own Life:” The Revisionary And Sustaining Practice Of Autotheory, Margaret Zee

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Autotheory, a hybrid of autobiography and literary theory, is the term Paul B. Preciado used to describe his book Testo Junkie (2008), a term Maggie Nelson then borrowed as a label for her book The Argonauts (2015). Though the term autotheory is relatively new, such hybrid writing has a rich literary history which I trace to intersectional feminist writers like Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldúa, and bell hooks in chapter 1’s genealogy. I argue that autotheory participates in theory’s work even as it revises certain Theoretical assumptions that hold sway in the academy today. This dissertation names three contemporary American books …

Psychometric Properties Of The Spanish Ucla Ptsd Reaction Index For Dsm-5€“Brief Form In Puerto Rico Following Hurricane Maria, Evan Edward Rooney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Trauma exposure among youth is a significant public health issue and is associated with psychiatric symptoms and impaired functioning. Natural disasters, such as hurricanes, have become an increasingly salient source of traumatic exposures for youth. However, not all youth exposed to traumatic experiences go on to develop posttraumatic stress symptoms or other maladaptive reactions. Given the high need for psychological support and low resource context engendered by hurricanes, efficient and evidentiary tools for assessing risk are needed to effectively identify youth most in need of services. The present study will use a sample of 96,108 Puerto Rican youth (Grades: 3-12; …

Exploring Messages About College Attendance And Graduation, Erin Talley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Successful completion of a college degree is a growing necessity in the United States of America. Concerns about workforce readiness and the cost of postsecondary education make completion of a college degree a burdensome necessity for individuals and society. Important implications from higher education research have been integral in establishing support programs to enhance college and university admissions, persistence, and graduation. Exploration of students’ home environments (Belasco, 2013; Wladis, Hachey, & Conway, 2018), preparation for college endeavors (Banks, 2022; Gilroy, 2014), fit in college institutions (Grillo & Leist, 2014; Lutz, Bennett, & Wang, 2017), and determination, or GRIT (Duckworth & …

Alternative Southern Communities: Cultural Other "Asians" In Contemporary Fiction About The American South, Mariko Hiwatashi

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project explores the representation of minority groups in contemporary U.S. Southern literature, with a particular focus on Asian communities. It not only challenges the conventional perception that Asians in America are primarily associated with the West Coast but also underscores how Asian representation in literature plays a crucial role in illuminating the complexities of regional identity and social structure in the American South.

Historically, Asian immigrants have been part of the Southern landscape since the eighteenth century when Filipino sailors settled in New Orleans. Chinese immigrants also played essential roles as laborers in the post-slavery South. However, their experiences …

How Prepared Are They? Mississippi Teachers’ Perceptions Of Preparedness For English Learners In Content Area Classrooms, Michelle Turonek

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of preparedness for English learners in Mississippi content area classrooms. Specifically, the study examined the feelings and experiences teachers had on their preparedness for English learners. While researching teacher perceptions, the study also attempted to discover the reasoning behind their preparedness through pre-service coursework, professional development, and strategies of second language acquisition. A qualitative approach was used through interviews and a survey to investigate how teachers perceived their preparedness and expressed their experiences. Data was collected from ten Mississippi teachers throughout the state and analyzed by the researcher to identify …

"Sealed With A Kiss On Your Artery": An Archive Of Southern Lesbian Desire, Sarah Margaret Heying

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines southern lesbian feminist print culture of the 1970s-2000s, which produced some of the most intersectional work to come out of second-wave feminism— especially in terms of creative and critical challenges to anti-Blackness, classism, metrocentrism, and regional exceptionalism. A central contribution of “Sealed with a Kiss on Your Artery” is its reimagination of archival reading practices from a queer-feminist literary studies perspective. Each chapter examines the archive of a particular lesbian feminist figure and demonstrates a corresponding interpretive practice; I seek to encounter these historical figures in a manner befitting not only the facts of their contributions to …

Firm-Level Political Risk And Corporate R&D Investment, Emmanuel Boah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

I examine how firms make R&D investment decisions during periods of political uncertainty. To minimize stickiness and overly generalized assumptions, I employ quarterly data. I find that firms invest more in R&D when facing high levels of political risk. The results suggest that this positive relationship between political risk and R&D investment is more pronounced for competitive and politically sensitive firms. Additionally, the positive association is evident among firms with higher growth opportunities and more liquid assets. The results are robust to the test for correlation, addressing endogeneity, and alternative proxies adopted for the variables of interest. Overall, the findings …

Teachers’ Perceptions About The Transition To English (T2e) Program In Bridging The Literacy Gap At The Elementary Level, Hilda Sarfo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study delves into the perceptions of Ghanaian teachers regarding the effectiveness of the bilingual literacy program – Transition to English (T2E) – in addressing the literacy gap at the elementary level. Recognizing the significance of second language acquisition for early-grade learners in multilingual communities, the research focuses on investigating the expectations and sustainability of the program. The study involved in-depth interviews with 11 Ghanaian teachers from three public basic schools who have experience with the T2E and one private school who has no experience. The findings of the study confirmed the pivotal role of the T2E in supporting young …

Perceptions Of Organizational Politics And Interpersonal Relationships In Black Women's Organizations And Sororities, Mitzi S. Willis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although much research has addressed the relationships between leaders and followers, none has focused on these relationships between Black women—specifically, in the context of Black women’s social service organizations and sororities—and the impact the leader’s chosen style of leadership has on the followers’ use of voice. Self silencing is a prominent response to the power dynamic in many leader–follower relationships. The purpose of this study was to describe the interactions between leaders and followers in Black women’s social service organizations and sororities and identify the influence leadership style has on follower engagement. This study extends the application of silencing the …

Embracing Green Chile: An Exploratory Factor Analysis Of Community Cultural Wealth, Lynda Duran

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Higher education trends marginalize Students of Color by promoting assimilation into a dominant culture. Faculty and practitioners in higher education deepen cultural dissociation by dismissing the cultural knowledge that many Students of Color hold from family and community. Following in the footsteps of settler colonialism, these practices uphold a deficit framing of Students of Color as inferior to their white peers. This dissertation blends the power of the Community Cultural Wealth model (Yosso, 2005) and QuantCrit (García et al, 2018; Gillborn et al., 2018) to define a Green Chile Epistemology that weaves cultural capital into the higher education experience. In …

Study Abroad And The Global Public Good: A Developmental Evaluation Of The International Business Major, Sara Barbier Bularzik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Study abroad, for any length of time and in any location, is widely recognized in higher education as a positive educational activity. While individual benefits of study abroad have been explored for decades, recent research has pushed the field to consider benefits for the local and global community. This program evaluation contributes to this line of inquiry by asking international business majors about the influences on their study abroad program choice process and the involvement of the university’s mission to positively impact the public good. Using developmental program evaluation and UNESCO’s global citizenship education theory, this study found that students …

Advancement Via Individual Determination And Its Impact On The Academic Achievement Of African American Male Students, Christerpher L. Turner

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) program and its impact on the academic achievement of African American and White male students. A causal-comparative quantitative design was used as the methodology for this study. For this study, the academic achievement of AVID and non-AVID African American and White male students was measured by comparing their Algebra 1 scores. The sample included data from approximately 550 African American and White male high school students in a suburban school district in Texas. Student achievement data were collected and analyzed using a statistical …

Perspective Of Nyerere On Self-Reliance: A Transformational Rhetorical For Liberating African Identity In Tanzanian Context, Ayub Mwampela

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Julius Kambarage Nyerere (1922–1999) was the first president of Tanganyika in 1961 and the founding father of the United Republic of Tanzania, after having merged Tanganyika and Zanzibar in 1964. He died from leukemia on October 14, 1999, in London. He was 77 years old. Among the most memorable events in the life of Nyerere is his involvement in the struggle for the freedom of African people from foreign influences.

The goal of this research is to ask and answer to the following question: How does the perspective of Nyerere on self-reliance contribute to the effort of liberating African identity? …

A Qualitative Study Into Modern Psychoanalytic Joining And Mirroring Through Psychotherapeutic Exchanges, Tricia Shihui Wang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation intends to address current deficits in knowledge regarding the modern psychoanalytic interventions of joining and mirroring, including substantial definition issues in the literature and the absence of current writings on the psychotherapeutic interventions of joining and mirroring in practice. The focus of the study was on the ever-dynamic landscape between modern analytically-informed practitioners and their clients in psychotherapeutic exchange(s) that the practitioners believed encompassed joining and/or mirroring interventions. Participants were six experienced practitioners who described their clinical work as being informed by modern psychoanalysis and who have engaged or were currently engaging in individual psychotherapy with a client. …