The Electoral College: Size Really Does Matter, Alexander Kirk

Honors Theses

The goal of this paper is to explore and ultimately convince the reader of the merits of the Wyoming Rule method of congressional apportionment as a method for altering the functioning of the Electoral College in United States presidential elections. This is conducted through an analysis of the role that the Electoral College has played throughout the history of American elections, in depth looks at four common proposals for changing or replacing the Electoral College, and finally discussion of the intricacies of the Wyoming Rule and the effects that it would have on American politics.

Troping For Justice And Joy: A Feminist Rhetorical Study Of Women’S Reproductive Health, Claire E. Noppenberger

Honors Theses

Taking my cues from feminist rhetorical studies, and the enactment of the personal as political, my thick description of women’s reproductive healthcare is focused on my own encounters with these rhetorics through a collection of my experiences through various media. This description adopts an autoethnographic attitude to approach these rhetorics “as pluralistic, subjective, personal, and potentially inclusive,” by using my own position and narrative to frame this rhetorical study. Just as feminist rhetorical studies require meta-reflexive awareness, autoethnography requires the acceptance of “responsibility for our subjective lenses through reflexivity.” My thick description uses the metadata of these media, including the …

Estimating Value-At-Risk Of An Unconventional Portfolio, Elizabeth N. Mejía-Ricart

Honors Theses

Since the 2008 financial crisis, interest rates and bond yields have been low all through the recovery and expansion that followed, and they are still low. As a result, more investors have been attracted to US equities, a space of possibly higher returns. However, these returns come with a potential downside: risk of loss. One of the methods to assess this potential downside is value-at-risk (VaR), which gained momentum in the late 1990s. At the time, the market risk amendment to the 1988 Basle Capital Accord required commercial banks with significant trading activities to put aside capital to cover market …

Storytelling For Fundraising: Assessing The Impact Of Personal Stories On Donation Behavior, Kate A. Mccarthy

Honors Theses

In fundraising, some nonprofits have sought to channel the power of personal stories by including them in appeal letters. Are stories an effective tool in soliciting donations? In this study, participants read one of three appeals from an unnamed abortion fund. Two conditions contained a personal story, either an “unapologetic” or a “uncontroversial” narrative, about a woman who underwent an abortion; one condition did not include a story. Participants were then asked questions regarding the appeal and the organization before being given a “bonus” dollar, and offered the option of donating a portion of that to an abortion fund. Results …

Synthesis, Characterization, And Reactivity Of Palladium Proazaphosphatrane Complexes, Adrian D. Matthews

Honors Theses

Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions provide an efficient pathway to a wide variety of otherwise inaccessible compounds. In this study, the synthesis and reactivity of novel palladium proazaphosphatrane complexes that are believed to be intermediates in C–N cross-coupling reactions are described. Both the fundamental reactivity of these complexes and elementary steps involved in a catalytic process are demonstrated. The catalytic viability of palladium proazaphosphatrane complexes is shown through stoichiometric and catalytic cross-coupling reactions. Our findings support the long-standing hypothesis that proazaphosphatranes are conformationally flexible ligands that stabilize a number of catalytic intermediates.

Liking And Listening: Impression Formation And Information Processing In Presidential Debates, Lauren Haviland O'Brien

Honors Theses

Ninety-three undergraduate students at the University of Richmond were asked to watch, listen to, or read a transcript of the opening statements from the first presidential debate of the Election of 1960 between John F. Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon. Afterwards, participants were asked to recall three notable moments in the debate, both list and identify quotes from each Candidate, and indicate their impressions of each Candidate’s personality. The purpose of my research was twofold: to revisit Dr. James Druckman’s renowned experiment on the first presidential debate of 1960 that concluded that Kennedy won on television and Nixon won on …

Computer-Assisted Coloring-Graph Generation And Structural Analysis, Wesley Su

Honors Theses

Graphs are a well studied construction in discrete math, with one of the most common areas of study being graph coloring. The graph coloring problem asks for a color to be assigned to each vertex in a graph such that no two adjacent vertices share a color. An assignment of k colors that meets these criteria is called a k-coloring. The coloring graph Ck(G) is defined as the graph where every vertex represents a valid k-coloring of graph G and edges exist between colorings that di↵er by one vertex. We call graph G the base graph of the k-coloring graph …

Personal Identity, Psychological Continuity, And Survival, James D. Martin, Dennis Earl

Honors Theses

In this paper, I consider the question of personal identity, namely: in virtue of what is one person the same person at two different points in time? I first raise objections to theories which argue it is in virtue of physical continuity or continuity soul, then argue that an account of psychological continuity is most successful. One might object to psychological continuity on the grounds of reduplication and fusion problems. I argue that strict numerical identity is a bar set too high and rather that survival (construed as the continuation of a first-person perspective) is what matters for personal identity. …

Starting Four Businesses My Last Semester Of College, Dimitri J. Bramwell

Honors Theses

E-commerce has been the latest buzz in the entrepreneur’s world. Now it is easier than ever to start your own business and resources are free at our disposal. Entire companies can be run from your laptop or even your smartphone. That being said, in this narrative, I describe my journey creating four online businesses while taking 18 credits in college and working full-time as a staff accountant. I’ll take you through all the steps from start to finish and go through my own trial and errors.

Measuring The Effects Of A Student Teaching-Based Unit On 3rd Graders’ Perceptions Of Engineers And Engineering, Taylor Cobb, Scott Townsend

Honors Theses

Measuring the Effects of a Student Teaching-Based Unit on 3rd Graders’ Perceptions of Engineers and Engineering

Taylor Cobb

Dr. Scott Townsend, Department of Education

Abstract

This paper explores previous findings on this topic and extends the level of research to lower grades of students. The research articles vary in finding for some upper elementary grade but eventually reach the same overall general consensus. Majority of researchers found that students do not have a clear understanding of what engineers are or what they do. They often confuse engineers with scientists, vocational workers, and train conductors. Of all the varying studies conducted …

Using Components Of American Sign Language To Better The Quality Of Life And Communication Access Of Elderly Persons In Assisted Living, Josie Arnett

Honors Theses

One of the most common conditions that affects people as they get older is presbycusis, the gradual loss of hearing (“Age-Related Hearing Loss”). Because of this, components of American Sign Language (ASL) were taught to elderly persons at Stillwater Senior Living assisted living facility in Edwardsville, IL with the purpose of improving access to communication. Helpful words to know in assisted living such as “want, food, hurt, and better” were taught. In addition, students were taught to feel comfortable with gestures such as pointing or thumbs up as a way to communicate. After learning how to sign certain words, students …

Requirement Elicitation, Cameron Myers

Honors Theses

Requirement Elicitation is a flexible and malleable process that can be changed based upon the requirements of the analyst, stakeholders, and/or the application. In recent years analysts have given more distinction to the effectiveness and the types of result yielded based on the unique attributes of each elicitation technique. These distinctions arose because of advancing technology and use cases used when developing an application. Naturally, the elicitation techniques are advancing as well. They are advancing into different categories to better focus on yielding the right information to identify the right requirements. Such as behavioral techniques, cognitive techniques, contrived techniques, etc. …

Evaluation Of Dna From Blood And Saliva Overtime, Janine Smalling

Honors Theses

In this research, we will examine the quantity of DNA over time. In John M. Butlers, "Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing", he charts out the average amount of DNA extracted from different bodily fluid samples. Examples include blood, semen, saliva, urine, etc. Though valuable, the values presented are in the cases of a fresh extraction of the sample. It is important to note that in most cases when DNA is being extracted from crime scene evidence, the samples are not fresh and have been degraded to some extent. On a crime scene, time is only one of the factors affecting …

A Female's Profession: Gender Disparity In Occupational Therapy, Jodi Collins

Honors Theses

Occupational therapy celebrated it’s one hundredth anniversary in becoming an established therapy in 2017. The history between 1917 and 2017 is rich with stories of origin, adaptation, and assimilation. The initial need of occupational therapy was to assist in rehabilitation efforts of soldiers assigned to combat in World War I, yet as history has unraveled, the need for the therapy has manifested and is now used on individuals of all ages and walks of life. Upon the initial creation of the therapy, females made up the entire field of then termed “reconstruction aides” due to the high number of males …

Mosquito-Borne Illnesses And Their Disproportionate Impact On Variant Infrastructures: A Gis Map Comparison Of Three Regions., Jenna N. Price

Honors Theses

Mosquitoes are the deadliest animals on earth and they spread diseases through their bites. Chikungunya, Dengue, Malaria, Yellow Fever, West Nile Virus, and Zika are six diseases of concern that are transmitted by mosquitoes. This honors thesis will attempt to provide relevant information and a critical analysis of current literature. Disease descriptions of the aforementioned illnesses and country evaluations for Niger, South Sudan, and the United States of America are included for comparison and evaluation. A Geographic Information System was used to create several maps comparing the three regions of the earth specified. The models are used to show country …

Childhood Anxiety Disorders: A Look Into Selective Mutism, Katelyn R. Campbell Ms.

Honors Theses

More than likely, a child will encounter a medical or educational professional to help them throughout their educational career sometime in their lives. Speech-language pathologists regularly see students from general education classrooms to special education classrooms. However, some disorders require multiple professionals to work as a team to ensure the child is functioning appropriately for his/her age. Selective mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder that causes such anxiety to the point where the child is unable to speak. Due to this being a frequent misdiagnosed disorder, a team of professionals is required to treat it. For this study, graduate students …

Funding The Field: A Literature Review Of The Kentucky Agrability Program’S Financial Need To Assist Agricultural Workers Across The Commonwealth, Leah D. Goodman

Honors Theses

This thesis combines the disciplines of occupational science, occupational therapy, and agriculture in order to outline a need for additional financial funding for the Kentucky AgrAbility Program. The Program has made a phenomenal impact on the lives of many individuals who have suffered from farm-related injuries; however, the scope and quality of its services are limited due to constricted access to funds. Through examining and exploring literature available on the topic, a need and argument for additional funding is constructed. Current partnerships are explored and methods of improvement, including an employee training course, are proposed. A new partnership with the …

Homo Sum: The Metaphysical Anthropology Of Liberalism, Arthur Martin

Honors Theses

This study takes a critical look at the work of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau in relation to Patrick Deneen’s first anthropological assumption of Liberalism, presented in his book, Why Liberalism Failed. Deneen claims that Liberalism conceives of human persons as naturally separate and non-relational. Man is not a ζῷον πολιτικόν (Politikon Zoon or Political animal) in Liberalism. Human persons are not the kinds of being that thrive in interpersonal relationships but are by nature isolated and come together for limited self-interested purposes. The main work of this paper includes an attempt to flesh out Hobbes’, …

The Macroevolution Of Diadromous And Non-Diadromous Clupeiformes., Lindsey Dehaan

Honors Theses

Migration is a common life history strategy across the animal tree of life. This behavior is energetically demanding and may trigger strong selection for the evolution of an optimal ecomorphology to lessen energetic costs, yet the ecomorphology of migratory aquatic species remains poorly understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that migratory fishes exhibit predictable phenotypic patterns in body size evolution in response to evolving migration: migratory fishes are larger than non-migratory fishes. Migratory fishes may also have functional traits (e.g. fin shape) associated with locomotion that have experienced similar selective forces and exhibit predictable evolutionary patterns, resulting in migratory lineages sharing …

Air Quality And Environmental Justice: An Analysis Of County-Level Data In The United States, Alyssa Tittle

Honors Theses

This paper analyzes the relationship between air pollution and poverty and race/ethnicity at the county level in the United States. Using air pollution data from the Environmental Protection Agency and population characteristics data from the Census Bureau to model relationships in RStudio, results show that race/ethnicity, population, and median value of owner-occupied housing units are the most statistically significant variables associated with air quality.

Lightweight Racing Suspension, Colin Haynes

Honors Theses

The purpose of this senior design project is to design and optimize the new suspension system for Western Michigan University’s 2020 solar car. The current solar car was 43% heavier than the average solar car, and was the heaviest single occupant vehicle competing in the American Solar Challenge. The scope of the project is to reduce the weight as much as possible from the old 2016 suspension. The new suspension weighed 34.91 lbs less than the 2016 suspension system while maintaining a minimum factor of safety greater than 1.5, compliant with American Solar Challenge regulations. The design consists of a …

Autonomous Vehicle Interior Design, Luis Vargas

Honors Theses

As technology in the automotive industry advances and self-driving vehicles become more commercially available, design concepts for their interiors must also be developed. Research was conducted on automotive design and autonomous technology, drawing inspiration from production and concept vehicles of the past, present, and future. A survey was conducted to gauge possible consumer needs. Hand sketches, small-scale models, and a Computer-Aided Design (CAD) model was produced. A full-size model was developed using various material-forming processes, including 3D printing, woodworking, clay sculpting, and metal machining. The interior was designed with consideration for safety, comfort, and technological advancements to satisfy the needs …

How Do Israelis And Palestinians Interpret Their Own Histories As Evidence That They Have Claim Over Israeli Held Territory?, Jacob Kubiak

Honors Theses

The Israeli-Palestinian War over Israeli-held territories has been a major controversy for many years. The modern conflict has been raging on since 1948. This conflict has caused the displacement of 1.4 million Palestinians, uprooting them from what they believe to be their ancestral home. Along with this displacement, the conflict has caused infrastructural collapse and the rise of terrorist organizations within Israel and Palestinian territories. Both groups have their own evidence in claiming the Israeli-held territory, including archaeological history and ancient texts to argue that they are the rightful owners of this land. The narratives of land claim belief are …

Relations Between Self-Regulation, Divergent Thinking, And Perceived Stress In Emerging Adults, Haven Wright

Honors Theses

This study investigated the relationships between self-regulation and stress, self-regulation and creativity, and perceived stress as a mediator for the relationship between self-regulation and creativity. Questionnaires were administered to undergraduate students to individually access each construct. Creativity was measured through divergent thinking and self-regulation was measured through the SRS and effortful control. Regression analyses were run to determine the relationships between the constructs. A negative association was found between effortful control and stress. Individual positive relationships were found between effortful control and all of the creative thinking styles except convergent-unpleasant. Lastly, the indirect effect of effortful control on the convergent-unpleasant …

An Analysis Of The Effects Between Prison Documentaries And Popularity Among Viewers, Dominique Malone

Honors Theses

This research examines the themes between a variety of prison documentaries and the subsequent viewership. In recent years, documentaries depicting prison life have risen in popularity due to a number of factors such as violence, drama, hysteria, and an overall sense of fascination (Cecil, 2009). This popularity may have impacted views on the current criminal justice system considering most people never have contact with the criminal justice system in their lifetimes (Cecil, 2009). Therefore, these documentaries may serve as one of the only bases for information that they may have about the system (Cecil, 2009). Because prison documentaries are fulfilling …

The Emergence Of Southern Dialectical Features In Native Spanish-Speaking English Language Learners In The American Deep South, Ana Chua

Honors Theses

It is generally assumed that students who study a target language in a particular country or region will gain the dialectical features of the place in which they had studied. While the current body of research generally supports this finding, dialectical adaptation to a specific area does not occur equally among all individuals, and studies that attempt to explain this resulting degree of dialectical adaptation based on individual and social factors is one that still needs greater attention. This investigation sought to examine the extent of dialectical adaptation to Southern American English (SAE) in six Spanish-speaking English Language Learners who …

Country Roads, Take Me Away: Coal Mining And Migration In West Virginia, 1971-2010, James J. Slaughter

Honors Theses

West Virginia’s population peaked in 1950. Parallel to this, employment in the coal mining industry peaked in 1948. Popular discourse links these two trends together. It is suggested that the decline of the coal mining industry, which was previously a stable source of employment, has led West Virginians to leave the state searching for better job opportunities elsewhere. This thesis uses first-difference regression models to analyze the relationship between lagged year-to-year changes in coal-mining employment and year-to-year changes in net-migration to and from West Virginia. A positive and statistically significant relationship is found between 1-year lagged changes in coal mining …

El Hip-Hop Cubano: An Agent Of Social And Political Change In Cuba?, Margaree Jackson

Honors Theses

Cuba experienced two distinct periods during which Afro-Cubans encountered various constraints and opportunities. During the Revolutionary Period, the Cuban government outlawed all forms of discrimination and created many opportunities for Afro-Cubans to participate in society. However, these new opportunities came with the price of outlawing discussion of racial discrimination and political and social organization along racial lines. Afro-Cubans who still experienced racial inequality faced the threat of political imprisonment if they spoke out against discrimination. In contrast, during the Special Period, Cuban experienced a devastating economic collapse in 1991. Government policies created in response to the collapse removed many of …

Are Adult Esl Programs In Northern Mississippi Meeting Student Needs?, Jessica Jill Flynn

Honors Theses

As the immigrant population increases in the United States, there is a growing need for adult English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. Not only must these programs be available, they must also be accessible to potential students based on individual needs. This study investigates whether adult ESL programs in northern Mississippi are satisfactorily meeting those needs. Literature in the areas of second language acquisition, pedagogy, and adult ESL classroom research is reviewed, along with statistical background information relevant to the investigated geographic region. A qualitative methodological approach is employed, utilizing online, anonymous surveys to measure program characteristics and student …

To My Room’S Future Tenant, Abigail Garcia

Honors Theses

To My Room’s Future Tenant is an original collection of poems accompanied by a critical preface.