Digital Commons Network^™

How Athlete Citizenship Behaviors Impact Fans' Perceptions Of Performance, Source Credibility, Image, And Fans' Future Behavior Intentions, Gregory Stine

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine how knowledge of a professional athlete’s charitable involvement affects fans’ perceptions of the athlete’s performance, source credibility, and image, as well as fans’ future behavior intentions. Cultivation theory influenced the study, as it relates to how media portrayal of athletes affects fans’ perceptions. A perceived imbalance between (more) negative and (fewer) positive stories also influenced the study. The study is significant in that, given significant positive relationships between this knowledge of charitable involvement and these variables, athletes and teams could choose to promote players’ charitable initiatives more. This could potentially impact the …

Revisiting Social Isolation In America: An Egocentric Analysis Of "Feel Close To" Networks, Chao Liu

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Evidences from interpersonal networks in which Americans discuss “important matters” (core discussion networks) suggest that Americans have become increasingly isolated. Using the national representative Science of Generosity Survey 2010, this paper revisits the issue of Social isolation. The survey asked respondents to name the people they felt close to in the last six months. On average, respondents mentioned 3.87 people they felt close to, a significant increase from the 1985 (2.94) and 2004 (2.08) core discussion networks. Education, income, and gender are significant explanatory variables for the “feel close to” networks. People with high education, those with high income, and …

Designing Place-Sensitive Professional Development: A Critical Ethnography Of Teaching And Learning Argumentative Writing, Sarah N. Holland

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to investigate the experiences of teachers participating in a two-year professional development program designed by the National Writing Project and funded by a U.S. Department of Education Investing in Innovation (i3) grant. Informed by New Literacy Studies’ ideological model of literacy as a Social practice and rural literacies’ notion of pedagogies of sustainability, this study employs critical ethnography and discourse analysis to analyze the discourse of teachers participating in the College-Ready Writers Program (CRWP) in order to understand how professional development might be adjusted to re-empower teachers. Data sources included field notes, interviews, lesson …

3d Seismic Interpretation Of Paleokarst Sinkholes, Boone Limestone, Lower Mississippian: Subsurface Eastern Arkoma Basin, Conway County, Arkansas, Daniel James Moser

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Unconventional natural gas discoveries in the Fayetteville Shale of the eastern Arkoma Basin have led to improved understanding of subsurface geology in central Arkansas. This study interprets 3D seismic data for evidence of paleokarst within the Mississippian formations in a portion of the subsurface of Conway County, Arkansas. Quantitative data interpretation suggests that sinkholes developed during the Mississippian portion of the eastern Arkoma Basin record.

In a nine square mile area, 3D seismic mapping of Mississippian formations show 14 closed depressions interpreted as karst sinkholes. Time and depth structure maps were created and utilized to estimate the timing of dissolution …

The Effect Of Face-To-Face Versus Computer-Mediated Communication On Interpersonal Outcomes In Getting-Acquainted Situations, Nicole Rae Brandon

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

People use technology more today than ever before to self-disclose and form new relationships with others. Successful relationship development is often marked by the presence of positive interpersonal outcomes (i.e., closeness and liking). However, there is contention regarding whether computer-mediated communication (CMC) is as effective at developing positive interpersonal outcomes compared to face-to-face (FtF) communication. CMC is often considered subpar due to the lack of nonverbal cues that can be expressed. Two studies were designed to 1) compare the effect of FtF and CMC platform self-disclosures on closeness and liking in zero-acquaintance situations and 2) explore mediators that might explain …

Efficacy Of A Novel Intranasal Zinc Solution On The Microbiome, Health, And Growth Performance Of High-Risk, Newly Received Stocker Cattle, Makenzie Foster

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this study was to determine if using an intranasal zinc (Zn) solution would impact health and growth performance of high-risk stocker cattle. Male beef calves (n = 239; 3 arrival dates [block]; initial BW = 276 ± 2.4 kg) were stratified by arrival gender and BW and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) treated with 3 ml of a Zn solution containing 36.24 mg of Zn administered intranasally, or 2) control, in which calves were not treated. Calves were observed daily and if exhibiting signs of morbidity and a rectal temperature ≥ 40° C they were …

"Everyone Has Thought About Killing Someone - One Way Or Another": Cannibalism And The Question Of Morality In Bryan Fuller's Hannibal, Kristi Michelle Pierse

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Popular criticism insists that violence in the media perpetuates violence in the real world. This is an especially relevant argument today as we witness on a daily basis the violence that is occurring in the United States through mass shootings, police brutality, and countless other forms of aggressive actions. While studies do show a correlation between violent media and real-world violence, there is no absolute conclusion that proves such. My thesis addresses the moral lessons that can be learned through violence on television, particularly through the creative adaptation of Thomas Harris’ Hannibal Lecter series as reimagined by Bryan Fuller in …

Breast Is Best: A Case Study Of Bottom-Up Implementation, Britni Ayers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The institutional narrative surrounding breastfeeding is that breast is best. Research on infant feeding practices in the United States are abundant, especially among WIC recipients. Although WIC is championed as being a breastfeeding promotional venue, WIC recipients demonstrate lower breastfeeding rates than non-WIC recipients of similar economic standing suggesting the need for further research into the policies and breastfeeding promotional tools being implemented within WIC. Concurrently, research demonstrates that breastfeeding duration rates among WIC recipients can be prolonged with women’s interaction with a Breastfeeding Peer Counselors (BFPC). However, there has been little exploration into the experiences of BFPC or the …

Verbing History: A Textualist Approach To Gendered Politics In U.S. History Curriculum, Ginney Patricia Norton

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Using three curricular interventions from World War II, I employ an alternative rhetorical history to understand how Social studies curriculum has become a space for the simultaneous deliberation of both national identity and gender politics. In working through the propaganda of Rosie the Riveter, the stories of the women of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and the experiences of gay men and women in the military during the war, I suggest that Social studies curriculum normalizes and reifies gendered, racial, and queer citizenship in relationship to white, masculine, and heteronormative citizenship. It also utilizes epideictic rhetoric to rhetorically and historically construct problematic …

Factors Influencing Participation In Professional Development To Promote Online Course Excellence And The Impact On Faculty Confidence And Teaching, Elizabeth Ann Mascher

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine factors influencing participation in professional development designed to safeguard online course excellence and the impact on confidence and teaching. This purpose was achieved through a convergent mixed-methods investigation of faculty viewpoints of online course delivery and professional development offerings at a Midwestern state university. To support continued academic success in an increasing online market, the university implemented Quality Matters professional development to promote excellence in online course design. Analysis of data collected from a survey, in-depth interviews, and a focus group revealed faculty perspectives regarding the effectiveness of online course delivery, benefits …

Baha’I Sacred Architecture And The Devolution Of Astronomical Significance: Case Studies From Israel And The Us, Michael Steven Meizler

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Sacred architecture is a complex conglomerate of different ideals of a faith. Within modern terms, the Baha’i faith is an excellent example of modern sacred architecture. Within ancient times the architecture of temples and shrines oftentimes had celestial alignments meant to connect the adherent to the gods. With this in mind, the Baha’i faith is evaluated with the use of cartography, celestial measurements, orthophotography, and archival research to evaluate the significance of the Baha’i sacred architecture and the symbolism embedded within it. The Baha’i faith came out of Persia during the 19th century and relocated to Israel late in that …

Discretion And The Implementation Of Federal Disability Policy In Postsecondary Education, Katy Annette Washington

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Disability Services Providers (DSPs) have historically been the personnel tasked with implementing federal disability policy at postsecondary institutions primarily since the passage of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. The model adopted by the majority of DSP offices is student-driven and requires students seeking academic accommodations must go through a formal process to determine eligibility for services, and then play an active role in their provision. Disability-related policies at the campus level are usually authored by DSPs who are seen as experts by the institution and its stakeholders. However, sometimes …

Leveling The Playing Field? A Content Analysis Of Espn.Com And Espnw.Com’S Online Coverage, Rachael Caldwell

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to compare sports coverage provided by the male-centric website ESPN.com and its affiliated female-centric website ESPNW.com. The amount and type of coverage provided for female athletes was the primary focus of this study. Results suggest that ESPNW.com provides an outlet for increased coverage of women’s sports, but the type of coverage provided to female athletes is not equivalent to that of their male counterparts. These results supported findings in previous studies on mass media coverage of women’s sports, specifically coverage on the emerging field of Internet coverage.

Chlorine Demand Shows Thresholds And Hierarchy With Source Water Quality At Beaver Lake, Arkansas, Jaime M. Gile

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study investigated the effects of source water quality in Beaver Lake on the amount of chlorine (Cl) needed to develop decision support system to help guide chlorination practices in pre-treatment of source water. Chlorine demand assays were performed on water samples from Beaver Lake collected from the intake structure at Beaver Water District from March 2014 through August 2015, and using data from these assays, the two points of interest in this study were the Cl dose at which Cl residuals began to accumulate and the mean Cl demand occurring after that dose. Three methods of analysis were used …

Tableau Vivant [Living Picture], G J Christopher Drobnock

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With an overwhelming concern for functionality, the design world and industrial production have moved far beyond the pure necessity of the handmade object. With the paper coffee cup, disposable utility is the primary goal; afterwards the service is performed and the thing is discarded. On the other hand, the clay object can be used and reused allowing a personal relationship to form between the user and the object, the maker and the user. My work is meant to reconnect us with the haptic; the tacit knowledge of the physical. I want the user to think of a place beyond the …

Fragmentality, Elena Volkova

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary art is dedicated to the conversation between the past and the present, the established and the experimental; it becomes more and more trans-border, as life itself. Nowadays, people live in the world, where their beliefs, ideas, politics, and religion are constantly colliding. The more people expand boundaries and develop connections, the more complex and tangled our society becomes as a system.

FRAGmentality presents a set of mixed media pieces incorporating painting, weaving, embroidery and three-dimensional elements dedicated to these contradictions in the modern society. It deals with structures within Social relations and human nature.

Being a representative of a …

Void Loop ( ) {, Jonathan Barrett Cromer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Void loop is an exhibition that addresses the dynamics of survival through an investigation of power, predation, migration, destruction, and renewal. As an installation of sculpture, video, and sound, the work on display explores associations between the human and natural worlds that inform who we are as individual, Social and biological beings. The repeated code surrounding the “void loop” title is a basic call and response serial communication between the microcontroller and the sensors. It commands the microcontroller to infinitely loop all code following the function, mimicking the repetitions of a pulsing heart. For the exhibition each piece is based …

In Rift, Aimee Marie Odum

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In Rift is an exhibition of object, video, and sound installations investigating the process of embodying ambience from the natural world. As a whole, this work questions the distinct differences in experiencing a place psychologically, through the circulation of digital media, and holistically, in actual, present time. In Rift is comprised of two distinct works: Loose Liquids and Gorge. The first piece, Loose Liquids, contains specific imagery of water, rock, plant life, and digital blobs, combined with human cadence such as breathing, shivering, and rolling. This explores how a location’s details accumulatively contribute to an overall experience as we strive …

Place(Ment), Ashley Lynn Byers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Throughout her time at the University of Arkansas Master of Fine Arts program, Ashley Byers has been creating work about the folklore, landscape, and people of the Ozarks. Though she continues to create work with the Ozarks in mind, it became a motif used for a broader conversation about the ad hoc, holiness, painting, landscape, the figure, and intimacy.

In many ways, the concepts within her work are born out of the Ozarks.

When can remnants come together to become more than the sum of their parts? Derelict, easily dismissed objects, when set in the right context or viewed through …

Nanofiltration Rejection Of Contaminants Of Emerging Concern From Municipal Water Resource Recovery Facility Secondary Effluents For Potable Reuse Applications, Steven Michael Jones

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As reuse of municipal water resource recovery facility (WRRF) effluent becomes vital to augment diminishing fresh drinking water resources, concern exists that conventional barriers may prove deficient and the upcycling of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) could prove harmful to human health and aquatic species if more effective and robust treatment barriers are not in place.

There are no federal Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) regulations in place specifically for direct potable reuse (DPR) of WRRF effluent. Out of necessity, some states are developing their own DPR reuse regulations. Currently, reverse osmosis (RO) is the default full advanced treatment (FAT) …

Genetic Determinism Of Xanthomonas Arboricola Pv. Pruni (Xap) Resistance, Fruit Quality, And Phenological Traits In Peach And Incorporation Of Marker-Assisted Selection (Mas) In The University Of Arkansas Peach And Nectarine Breeding Program, Terrence James Frett

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

For over two decades the incorporation of marker-assisted selection (MAS) has been discussed as an innovative approach to increase peach breeding efficiency. Although hundreds of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been identified, only a few have been converted into usable MAS tools. This highlights a disconnect between genomic discoveries and practical application in breeding programs, which has delayed use of MAS.

In this dissertation, three sequential steps were performed with the objective to bridge this gap and develop breeding-relevant DNA tests for MAS of fruit bacterial spot resistance (Xap1 and Xap6), fruit quality [blush (Rf), acidity (D), and acidity and …

Structural Identification Of An Elevated Water Tower, James Thomas Norris

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Elevated water tanks are generally located at higher elevations within a particular geographic area. The location and height of these structures often makes them desirable for installing wireless and cellular communications antennas. The impact of this practice on the long-term serviceability performance of the primary structure is not clear and could be an important consideration deserving further analysis. This paper presents a case study of an elevated water tank that was motivated by this particular consideration. The structure had been retrofitted with cellular antennas during its service and later experienced fatigue cracking at the fill pipe-tank interface. The owner wished …

Portrayal, Kathryn A. Wilson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is in addition to my thesis series, Portrayal, a group of selected photographs. In this essay I outline the contents and developments of the series of photographs by the same name. It includes information on the artistic techniques employed, concepts and considerations taken into account when making the photographs including the relationship with and presentation of the subject, the exhibition of the photographs, and influences on the specific composition and tone of the photographs.

The images in Portrayal are not candid or objective views. Each is constructed based upon the negotiations with the subject and represent an edited …

Shards And Cycles: Lighting Design For "The Chairs" By Eugene Ionesco, Jacob Hofer

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis will describe the historical context, analysis, design, and implementation of the lighting design for the University of Arkansas’s production of Eugene Ionesco’s "The Chairs". Special time will be taken to explain the unique challenges faced by this production both in early design meetings as well as during the implementation of the design. This document will tackle the question: How does the idea of triboluminescence help inform the design of shattered, crystal shafts of light that illuminate and highlight cyclical world of "The Chairs"?

Included in this thesis are all essential lighting design documents including: the light plot, paper …

The Passionate Actor, Britney Nichole Walker-Merritte

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis consists of materials documenting my thesis performances as well as a statement of artistry, a copy of my current headshot, and resume and a link to my website.

Lovable Rogue: The Shenanigans Of Sir Toby Belch In William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night", William Clark Rogers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis documents and explores the actor’s approach to and discovery of the values, methods and motivations of Sir Toby Belch in the Fall 2015 University Theatre production of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” In addition, the author’s second thesis role was as Andrew Makepeace Ladd III in A. R. Gurney’s, “Love Letters” produced and performed in Kimpel Hall Studio during Spring 2016. The thesis also includes a personal statement of artistry, programs for the thesis related performances, a headshot, resume, production photos and a link to the actor’s website.

From Duke To D: The Range Of An Actor In Classical And Contemporary Characters, Damian Oscar Dena

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis contains my statement of artistry along with photos and materials from both productions Twelfth Night and Mother F**Ker with the Hat. Also included are links to my website and current copies of my headshot and resume.

Dissemination And Persistence Of Plasmid Located, Integron Associated Antibiotic Resistant Genes In Wastewater Treatment Plant Effluent And Stream Water Bacteria, _ Suhartono

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Transmissible plasmid-mediated integrons play important role in the persistence and dissemination of antibiotic resistance throughout the environment. Plasmids from 139 multi-antibiotic resistant Escherichia coli recovered from wastewater treatment plant effluent and upstream and downstream receiving stream water in Northwest Arkansas were extracted and profiled. Genes of class 1 and class 2 integrase (intI), mobilization (mob), sulfamethoxazole resistance (sul), and trimethoprim resistance (dfr) were detected using PCR and confirmed through DNA sequencing. Plasmids from almost half of the isolates (47%) were transmissible with mobF12 gene as the most frequently detected mobilization gene. Plasmid-borne class 1 with and without class 2 integrons …

The Day I Walked Off The Motherf**King Stage: Shakespeare To Stephen Adly Guirgis, Christopher Markus Hecke

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis represents the culmination of my craft as an actor, through the collection of production material from Twelfth Night, and The Motherfucker With The Hat, headshot, resume, website link and my personal statement of artistry.

Somewhere Between Hell's Kitchen And Illyria: An Actor's Utopia, Guadalupe Campos

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis consists of my statement of artistry, and documentation of artistic materials and thesis related performances.