Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
File Type

Articles 6631 - 6660 of 7646

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Processing Improvement Of Moirã© Interferometry For Accurate Crack-Tip Deformation Measurement., Ridha Kamil Jan 2001

Processing Improvement Of Moirã© Interferometry For Accurate Crack-Tip Deformation Measurement., Ridha Kamil

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Recent research advancement of moiré interferometry has incorporated phase shifting, a technique for better accuracy and easier digital image processing. However, moiré interferometry with phase shifting also revealed some sensitivity problems. Background noise associated with the topography of the specimen and optical effect produces rough and discontinuous displacement fields, which makes it difficult to obtain accurate strains and stresses. In this research, two alternate methods that improve the sensitivity of moiré interferometry, with and without phase shifting is developed. The result is a smoother displacement fields with higher sensitivity at the crack tip area. A single edge notched bend specimen …


An Examination Of The Role Of Cognitive Readiness And Self-Efficacy In Parenting Stress And Coping., Ellen Winifred Leen Jan 2001

An Examination Of The Role Of Cognitive Readiness And Self-Efficacy In Parenting Stress And Coping., Ellen Winifred Leen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Cognitive readiness and self-efficacy are similar in that they can be thought of as components of the secondary appraisal process of stress and coping, and each construct includes parental knowledge. We examined self-efficacy and cognitive readiness as they relate to processes of stress and coping, expecting that overlap between the constructs would be accounted for by the role of knowledge. Sixty mothers of toddlers completed questionnaire packets. Our data revealed that, while distinct, cognitive readiness and maternal self-efficacy relate in similar manners to problem-focused coping, and that relation was mediated by stress. This finding suggests that cognitive readiness and self-efficacy …


Vocabulary Cards As A Strategy For Vocabulary Acquisition Of English As A Second Language: The Learners' Perspectives., Maria Teresa Barbosa Das Neves Jan 2001

Vocabulary Cards As A Strategy For Vocabulary Acquisition Of English As A Second Language: The Learners' Perspectives., Maria Teresa Barbosa Das Neves

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The use of vocabulary cards has been advocated by various authors (Gairns and Redman, 1986; McCarthy, 1990; Schmitt and Schmitt, 1995; Hopkins and Bean, 1997) as a strategy to enhance vocabulary acquisition in both first language and second language acquisition. However, there has not been much focus on the students’ perspectives of this strategy. The present study examines the learners’ perspectives of the use of vocabulary cards as a vocabulary learning strategy with special emphasis given to the use of drawing as a strategy. Data were collected via a questionnaire, in class observation and interviews with both learners and instructors. …


An Analysis Of Service Sector Growth Effects On Income Inequality A Comparison Model Of Metropolitan And Non-Metropolitan Areas Of The Appalachia., Cheryl Lynne Peskar-Johnson Jan 2001

An Analysis Of Service Sector Growth Effects On Income Inequality A Comparison Model Of Metropolitan And Non-Metropolitan Areas Of The Appalachia., Cheryl Lynne Peskar-Johnson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

It is very difficult to find regional economic restructuring studies that examine economic well-being by analyzing the effects of service sector growth on income inequality. This study is a regional economic restructuring analysis. Through the use of county level data of 399 Appalachian Counties this study produced a comparison model of metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas. The main goal of my thesis was to evaluate the growing economic differences in income potentials that have resulted in new spatial inequalities in the United States. By regressing income inequality (GINI INDEX) against service sector growth this study was able to support earlier studies …


A Comparison Of The Effects Of Different Wavelengths Of Argon Laser Irradiation On The Solubility Of Human Enamel: An In Vitro Study., Bradley Fulton Kendzior Jan 2001

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Different Wavelengths Of Argon Laser Irradiation On The Solubility Of Human Enamel: An In Vitro Study., Bradley Fulton Kendzior

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Decalcification around orthodontic appliances is an ongoing problem during orthodontic treatment. Argon laser irradiation has been shown to decrease the solubility of enamel. The objectives of this study were to: 1) determine the length of time necessary to create lesions of adequate depth, an intact surface zone, and a distinct body of the lesion zone; 2) determine if different wavelengths of argon laser irradiation (457-501nm or 457 514nm) of non-pumiced and non-etched enamel provided different levels of resistance to demineralization; 3) determine if different wavelengths of argon laser irradiation (457 501nm or 457-514nm) of pumiced and etched enamel provided different …


A Computational Study Of Mixing In A Liquid Jet Impinging On An Immiscible Liquid Layer., Sherif Mohamed Kandil Jan 2001

A Computational Study Of Mixing In A Liquid Jet Impinging On An Immiscible Liquid Layer., Sherif Mohamed Kandil

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Droplet formation is a phenomenon that has great significance in multiphase flows, and it takes place in many natural and man-made applications. The application of interest in this study is the turbulent mixing of Diesel fuel and seawater during the refueling process of naval ships outfitted with compensated fuel ballast tanks (CFBT). Several phenomena take place in fuel tanks that cause turbulent mixing and thus droplet formation. These phenomena include, among other phenomena, a stratified shear flow of two immiscible fluids of different densities, and a densely buoyant vertical jet flow of a higher density fluid impinging on a quiescent …


Transfer Function Model For An Oxy-Fuel-Fired Batch Tank., James Robert Rhodes Jan 2001

Transfer Function Model For An Oxy-Fuel-Fired Batch Tank., James Robert Rhodes

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Oxy-fuel combustion is an alternative method for melting glass that has recently become increasingly attractive as one way for the glass industry to improve its energy efficiency and reduce its environmental impacts. Research, however, is still needed to better appreciate the advantages that oxy-fuel combustion offers to the users of the batch tanks. Efforts have been underway by the WVU Projects with Industry Program to identify the parameters that govern the combustion and control behavior of an oxy-fuel fired batch tank. The two primary goals of this thesis are to develop a transfer function model for the oxy-fuel fired batch …


A Life Cycle Cost Estimation Model For Frp Bridge Decks., Pratik Roychoudhury Jan 2001

A Life Cycle Cost Estimation Model For Frp Bridge Decks., Pratik Roychoudhury

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research developed a prototype life cycle cost-estimating model for FRP bridge decks called “bridgeMATE”. The model considers the agency costs, user costs and the third party costs to establish the life cycle cost of an FRP bridge deck. The model features two condition indices for maintenance and for repair that can estimate the condition of the bridge deck in any given year. Based on the limiting values set on the indices, a decision for maintenance and repair is made when the index value for a year exceeds the limiting value. These limiting values can be entered by the user …


Enjoying A Bad Life: Short Fiction Drawn From Disorder., Kate Green Van Sant Jan 2001

Enjoying A Bad Life: Short Fiction Drawn From Disorder., Kate Green Van Sant

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

My own cultural background is somewhat confused, and I inherited from my late father many strange and suspicious stories that can never be corroborated. This allowance for ambiguity also reminded me of my fondness for the labyrinths and forking paths of Borges, and I realized that this duality was probably closely related to my travels between cultural frontiers and my frequent passages between mania and depression. The narrator struggles for independence and emotional stability with humor, attempting to pull order, both creative and practical, from her disorder. Her success is to be judged not as much in her accomplishments as …


Student Preceptions Of Teacher Violations Of Expected Verbal And Nonverbal Immediate Behaviors., Amy M. Denson Jan 2001

Student Preceptions Of Teacher Violations Of Expected Verbal And Nonverbal Immediate Behaviors., Amy M. Denson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined student expectations of teacher behavior and how violations of those expectations are evaluated by students. The purpose of this research was to determine whether or not students hold certain expectations about their teachers and if so, which types of behaviors were expected or not expected of classroom teachers. Students were asked to complete the Immediacy Expectation Scale (IES) to determine if teachers were expected to use immediate behaviors and also to determine if teachers were expected to not misbehave. Students were further asked to read four scenarios that manipulated teachers as high or low in immediacy and …


Object-Oriented Expert System Design: Texpert., Maryam Farmani Jan 2001

Object-Oriented Expert System Design: Texpert., Maryam Farmani

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Object-Orientation is a powerful approach to managing complexity, which has received widespread attention in the past few years. Object-Oriented Design is based on a small number of basic concepts: object, classes, operations and relationships. Some important relationships are inheritance, message passing, and encapsulation. Different methods and notations have been proposed within this paradigm, and a Unified Modeling Language has been developed based on several of these methods. Most rule-based expert systems are not flexible enough to handle problems that mix logical deductions, rule-based inferences, and procedure execution, but mixed problems are common in modern society. Management decisions, for example, are …


Full Potential Linear Muffin-Tin Orbital Modeling Of Zinc-Selenide And Zinc-Magnesium-Selenide Alloy., Yaxiang Yang Jan 2001

Full Potential Linear Muffin-Tin Orbital Modeling Of Zinc-Selenide And Zinc-Magnesium-Selenide Alloy., Yaxiang Yang

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, we used ab-initio full potential linear muffin-tin orbital (FP-LMTO) method to study native defects, chlorine and nitrogen doping, and chromium incorporation issues in ZnSe and ZnMgSe alloys. The method we used and the results we obtained are discussed in details. In chapter 1, an introduction to recent studies in ZnSe was given. The methodology was discussed at chapter 2. In chapter 3, we studied lattice relaxation around native defects in ZnSe and formation energies for these native defects. Our results were compared with other theoretical results. In chapter 4, chlorine doping in ZnSe and ZnMgSe alloys are …


The Relationship Of Motivation And Psychological Skills Of Senior Game Participants To Performance., Keiba Lynn Shaw Jan 2001

The Relationship Of Motivation And Psychological Skills Of Senior Game Participants To Performance., Keiba Lynn Shaw

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Involvement in physical activity and sports in the senior population has been shown within the literature to provide these athletes with improved health status and psychological benefits (McPherson, 1984). To date, few studies have examined psychological factors, such as motivation and psychological skills, in relation to senior athletes' participation in competitive sports. The sport psychology literature does include the measurement of the constructs of motivation and psychological skills via the use of the Athletic Coping Skills Inventory - 28 (ACSI-28) (Smith, Schultz, Smoll, & Ptacek, 1995) and the Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) (Pelletier, Fortier, Vallerand, Tuson, Briere, & Blais, 1995) …


Exploring Out-Of-Class Communication: The Development And Testing Of A Measure., Jennifer Lee-Ann Knapp Jan 2001

Exploring Out-Of-Class Communication: The Development And Testing Of A Measure., Jennifer Lee-Ann Knapp

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to examine out-of-class communication (OCC) between students and instructors. More specifically, the study was concerned with student immediacy, instructor immediacy, student affect for the course and affect for the instructor, and student motives for communicating with their instructors outside of the classroom. Participants were students enrolled in undergraduate communication classes at two institutions, Canisius College and West Virginia University. 218 participants completed surveys regarding the instructor they talked to the most outside of the classroom (e.g. during office hours, on campus, or around town). Results of the study show that OCC is positively and …


Mechanotransduction In Bone: Passive And Load-Induced Fluid Transport In Rat Femora., Bixia Li Jan 2001

Mechanotransduction In Bone: Passive And Load-Induced Fluid Transport In Rat Femora., Bixia Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The capacity of bone tissue to alter its mass and structure in response to mechanical demands has long been recognized but the mechanisms involved remained poorly understood. Load-induced interstitial fluid flow has been postulated to provide a mechanism for transduction of the mechanical signals to the cellular level to activate bone adaptation. This research is to investigate experimentally the effects of mechanical loading on fluid flow in bone by introducing stain/tracer. Rat femurs were used to test the passive diffusion and mechanical transport properties of the stain in bone. It was found that fluorescein is compatible with an animal model …


The Relation Of Anxiety Sensitivity And Coping Strategy To Carbon Dioxide-Induced Anxious And Fearful Responding., Adam Peter Spira Jan 2001

The Relation Of Anxiety Sensitivity And Coping Strategy To Carbon Dioxide-Induced Anxious And Fearful Responding., Adam Peter Spira

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The present study examined hypotheses regarding the relations among anxiety sensitivity (AS), coping strategy, and anxious responding to a 10-minute inhalation of 10% CO2-enriched air. Elevated scores on several subscales of the Anxiety Sensitivity Index - Revised (ASI-R) predicted CO2-induced panic symptoms. In addition, avoidant coping strategies were predictive of CO2-induced anxious and fearful responding. A composite of subscales from the COPE Inventory predicted aspects of challenge-induced anxiety that were not predicted by the ASI. Although results support contemporary models of panic disorder, our findings also indicate that AS may not be as important to the development and maintenance of …


"Playing To The Cameras": The Presence Of An Entertainment Perspective In Political Panel Programming And The Implications Of Making Politics Palatable And Appealing., Marcus Edward Snyder Jan 2001

"Playing To The Cameras": The Presence Of An Entertainment Perspective In Political Panel Programming And The Implications Of Making Politics Palatable And Appealing., Marcus Edward Snyder

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The proliferation of political television talk shows as a modern media form appears to have had a profound influence on the dimensions and depth of public discourse. While the majority of these public affairs programs position themselves as forums for the serious discussion of consequential events and ideas, many media critics have suggested that these programs have diminished the quality of the national political dialogue by presenting and interpreting information according to television’s penchant for drama and amusement. Although public affairs programs have been the target of much criticism, their has been little academic exploration of the ways which these …


Fashion In The Classroom And Perceptions Of Attraction And Credibility., Ellen Louise Kapalko Jan 2001

Fashion In The Classroom And Perceptions Of Attraction And Credibility., Ellen Louise Kapalko

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether an instructor’s fashionableness has an impact on his or her students and perceptions of attraction, credibility, and affect. Participants were 113 students enrolled in introductory communication courses at West Virginia University. A pre-test was given to 14 graduate students who rated the photographs as being fashionable or unfashionable. 51 participants rated the fashionable photograph and 63 rated the unfashionable photograph for attraction, credibility, and affect. Results of this study showed that there were no differences in students’ perceptions of attraction, credibility, and affect between the fashionable and unfashionable instructor


A Prototype Automatic Dental Identification System (Adis)., Diaa Eldin Mohamed Nassar Jan 2001

A Prototype Automatic Dental Identification System (Adis)., Diaa Eldin Mohamed Nassar

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this work we apply combined digital image processing and artificial neural network techniques in developing a prototype of an automatic dental identification system (ADIS) to be employed for postmortem forensic identification. The prototype ADIS follows a pyramidal image-matching architecture used in developing an analogous fingerprint comparison system. Owing to the differences in image natures, we used new techniques and modified some mathematical models. We introduce an adaptive technique for dental radiograph enhancement and an adaptive strategic searching technique for neural network training. The training and testing results we obtained are promising.


Trisomy 8 Mosaicism: Cell Cycle Kinetics And Distribution Of Trisomy 8 And Normal Cells In Embryonic And Extra-Embryonic Tissues., Bonnie J. Pettit Jan 2001

Trisomy 8 Mosaicism: Cell Cycle Kinetics And Distribution Of Trisomy 8 And Normal Cells In Embryonic And Extra-Embryonic Tissues., Bonnie J. Pettit

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Amniocentesis identified a fetus with trisomy 8 in one third of metaphase cells while remaining cells were normal. The purpose of this project was to determine the level of trisomy 8 mosaicism within embryonic and extra-embryonic tissues and cell cycle division rates for the two cell lines. Tissue samples collected at birth included cord blood, cord tissue, peripheral blood, and placental tissues. The level of trisomy 8 and normal cells was determined in G-banded metaphases and fluorescence in situ hybridization of interphase cells. Trisomy 8 metaphase and interphase cell investigations identified a significant decrease of trisomy 8 cells undergoing mitosis. …


An Intelligent System's Approach To Reservoir Characterization In Cotton Valley., Mofazzal Hossan Bhuiyan Jan 2001

An Intelligent System's Approach To Reservoir Characterization In Cotton Valley., Mofazzal Hossan Bhuiyan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Reservoir characterization in the Cotton Valley formation has always been a challenge for the Engineers, Geologist and Geophysists because of its heterogeneity as well as for the fact that well logs and reservoir characteristics are non-correlatable from well to well. This study introduces a new technique to characterize the cotton valley reservoir. Synthetic magnetic resonance imaging logs (MRI) provide information about reservoir characteristics such as effective porosity, fluid saturation and rock permeability more accurately than conventional wireline logs. The fuzzy C- mean analysis tool is utilized to group well logs together based on similarity criteria of the reservoir formation and …


The Relationship Of Mental Skills To Performance On A Tennis Accuracy Task Under Fatigued And Non-Fatigued Conditions., Mark Christopher Booras Jan 2001

The Relationship Of Mental Skills To Performance On A Tennis Accuracy Task Under Fatigued And Non-Fatigued Conditions., Mark Christopher Booras

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether athletes with higher mental skills perform tennis accuracy skills better than athletes with lower mental skills under two conditions. Division 1 tennis players (N = 11 men, N = 10 women) were divided into high and low mental skills groups by a median split on the ACSI-28. They were taken through two exercise conditions, fresh and fatigue, on two separate days and given a tennis accuracy task at the end of each condition. A repeated measure ANOVA determined there was no significant interaction between mental skill level and task condition scores. …


Growth And Physiological Responses Of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, To Elevated Carbon Dioxide: Chronic And Acute Challenges., Melody Louisea Mae Danley Jan 2001

Growth And Physiological Responses Of Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus Mykiss, To Elevated Carbon Dioxide: Chronic And Acute Challenges., Melody Louisea Mae Danley

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

West Virginia aquaculture is an expanding industry currently characterized by smallscale, widely dispersed farms. In 2000, state sales of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss reached US$611,000. To facilitate future expansion with a focus on product quality as well as production efficiency, identification of limiting factors and new or alternative management techniques are needed. Objectives of this three-month study were to identify how carbon dioxide, a common water quality problem in the region, affects the growth and physiological stress responses of intensively cultured rainbow trout. Growth (weight, specific growth rate, thermal growth coefficient, and condition factor) and physiological stress responses (hematocrit, plasma …


Japan's Ise Shrine And Selected Norwegian Stave Churches: An Examination Of The Definition Of Vernacular Architecture., H. Gary Gillespie Jan 2001

Japan's Ise Shrine And Selected Norwegian Stave Churches: An Examination Of The Definition Of Vernacular Architecture., H. Gary Gillespie

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Japan’s Ise Shrine (300-600 C.E.) and Norway’s stave churches (1100-1250 C.E.) are examples of vernacular architecture. Analyses of their functions, building materials, construction techniques, structural forms, and the impact of local philosophical, mythological, and folk influences upon their forms and decorations show that the Ise Shrine and selected Norwegian stave churches reflect cultural values and idea systems common to both cultures. By definition, vernacular architecture implies a regional, provincial character wherein architectural style is perpetuated by native traditions as opposed to cross-cultural influences or universal expression. Yet, as this study demonstrates, all vernacular architecture is not so idiosyncratic and provincial, …


An Investigation Of Demographic, Psychosocial And Self-Reported Behavioral Influences On Career Maturity Levels Of College Student-Athletes., Rebecca L. Ahlgren Jan 2001

An Investigation Of Demographic, Psychosocial And Self-Reported Behavioral Influences On Career Maturity Levels Of College Student-Athletes., Rebecca L. Ahlgren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Career maturity is operationally defined as the readiness of an individual to make informed, age-appropriate career decisions and cope with career development tasks (King, 1990; Savickas, 1984). The matched sample consisted of a total of 344 participants including college freshmen student-athletes (n = 107), freshmen non-student-athletes (n = 107), senior student-athletes (n = 65), and senior non-student-athletes (n = 65). It was hypothesized that there would be significant, positive relationships between the psychosocial variables of educational involvement (EI), career planning (CP), career decision making self-efficacy (CDMSE), and career locus of control (CLCS), and significant, negative relationships between these measures and …


Retroviral Recombination During Reverse Transcription: An Analysis Of The Mechanism, Frequency, And Effect Of The Viral Packaging Signal (Ψ)., Jeffrey Allan Anderson Jan 2001

Retroviral Recombination During Reverse Transcription: An Analysis Of The Mechanism, Frequency, And Effect Of The Viral Packaging Signal (Ψ)., Jeffrey Allan Anderson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Retroviral recombination occurs during replication and produces a DNA copy that contains genetic information from two parental RNAs. Recombination increases variation within the viral population by reassortment of mutations. In the presence of selective pressures, such as drug treatments, host immunosurveillance, or anti-viral vaccines, retroviruses are able to evolve rapidly leading to higher viral titers and increased pathogenicity. Two models have been proposed to explain the mechanism of recombination. The first model, minus-strand recombination, proposed that each recombination event generated a recombinant with one template switch. In contrast, the second model, plus-strand recombination, proposed that each recombination event generated a …


A Study Of The Relationship Between Characteristics Of Faculty Members In West Virginia Colleges And Their Level Of Implementation Of Information Technology., Andrew Neale Blackwood Jan 2001

A Study Of The Relationship Between Characteristics Of Faculty Members In West Virginia Colleges And Their Level Of Implementation Of Information Technology., Andrew Neale Blackwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the relationships between characteristics of faculty members in West Virginia colleges and their level of information technology (IT) implementation. A one-shot case study research design was used to investigate the connection between the faculty members' gender, age, years of experience, academic discipline, rank, amount of computer education, computer access, Internet access, job satisfaction, and their level of IT implementation. The specially designed Computer Usage Survey was mailed to a randomly selected sample of 95 faculty members; responses were received from 64 (67%) faculty members. Data analysis identified statistically significant relationships between the faculty members' gender, years of …


Scholarly Teaching: Exploring How Diverse Faculty Investigate Course Changes To Improve Student Learning., Scott Allen Cottrell Jan 2001

Scholarly Teaching: Exploring How Diverse Faculty Investigate Course Changes To Improve Student Learning., Scott Allen Cottrell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Several compelling reports are calling for the improvement of undergraduate education. Their central concern is that colleges and universities are not learning communities, where both faculty and students are engaged in a powerful learning environment. The purpose of this study was to learn how faculty are addressing these concerns by approaching teaching as a scholarly activity. The case studies and qualitative analyses of the data revealed that diverse educational institutions and faculty from different disciplines are approaching teaching as an investigative process. The faculty are developing active learning approaches to help students realize the courses' learning outcomes. The faculty are …


To Build, And Plant, And Keep A Table': Class, Gender, And The Ideology Of Improvement In Eighteenth-Century Women's Literature., Jeannie C. Dalporto Jan 2001

To Build, And Plant, And Keep A Table': Class, Gender, And The Ideology Of Improvement In Eighteenth-Century Women's Literature., Jeannie C. Dalporto

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

In this dissertation, I argue that the discourse of improvement, which stressed profit and productivity on the land and in the household, helped to define—and was defined by—class and gender ideology in the eighteenth century. I read the works of laboring class women poets, Mary Collier and Mary Leapor, and the utopian novelist, Sarah Scott, within the framework of land improvement treatises and household books. In doing so, I demonstrate how ideologies of labor and gender are inherently bound up with socioeconomic concerns about land and estate management. In Chapter one, I examine how notions of thrift found in land …


Portraits Of The Songwriting Process In Elementary Classrooms, Sally Dhruva Stephenson Jan 2001

Portraits Of The Songwriting Process In Elementary Classrooms, Sally Dhruva Stephenson

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study uses the qualitative research technique of portraiture to study the songwriting process in elementary classrooms. In chapter one, the author provides a theoretical framework for incorporating the arts and music in general education, and proposes to provide support for incorporating the creative process of songwriting into the elementary curriculum. Chapter two reviews the research literature on the educational and therapeutic uses of songwriting, and published examples of educational applications of songwriting. In chapter three, the methodology of portraiture is explained and four research settings are described, one each in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Maryland. Two of the …