Digital Commons Network^™

Alternative Material Nest Boxes And Impacts On Nestling Physiology And Adult Behavior In The Eastern Bluebird (Sialia Sialis), Jamie E. Jackson

Honors Theses

In the mid-nineteenth century, Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis, a native cavity nesting species) populations experienced serious declines because of a decrease in natural cavities and the introduction of non-native, competitive cavity nesting species. The creation of nest box programs led to an increase in bluebird populations and these programs continue to be of importance. In this study, a recycled metal ammunition can was used as a nest box to determine if this was a viable resource for bluebirds. This work investigated the effects of this alternate material nest box on nestling physiology and adult behavior with special emphasis …

Bakhtin’S Problems Of Dostoevsky’S Poetics And The Ideological Problem Of The Brothers Karamazov, Natalie N. Griner

Honors Theses

Dostoevsky’s final novel, The Brothers Karamazov, strives to resolve the question of God’s existence. But many critics have acknowledged that Dostoevsky seems to present Ivan’s skeptical voice with equal, if not greater, force than Alyosha’s affirmative voice—a feature of the novel that is difficult to explain in the context of Dostoevsky’s avowed Christianity. There is an overwhelming consensus among critics that The Brothers is a thesis-novel. But in order to establish the novel as a defense of faith, the critic must ultimately dismiss the strength of Ivan’s voice; and in attempting to demonstrate that the voice of doubt prevails, …

Modeling The Diffusion Of Heat Energy Within Composites Of Homogeneous Materials Using The Uncertainty Principle, Elyse M. Garon

Honors Theses

The purpose of this project is to model the diffusion of heat energy in one space dimension, such as within a rod, in the case where the heat flow is through a medium consisting of two or more homogeneous materials. The challenge of creating such a mathematical model is that the diffusivity will be represented using a piecewise constant function, because the diffusivity changes based on the material. The resulting model cannot be solved using analytical methods, and is impractical to solve using existing numerical methods, thus necessitating a novel approach.

The approach presented in this thesis is to represent …

Exhuming Ophelia: A Feminist, Costume Design Exploration, Shelby M. Gable

Honors Theses

Ophelia is a character that has captivated and moved audiences since her first appearance onstage in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Prince of Denmark around the year 1600. Unfortunately, she represents a negative and slim representation of femininity that reflects a long-standing trend that has established a specific and limited iconic understanding of her character. As a feminist theatre maker I have undertaken a multi-phase approach to reconstructing Ophelia based on four separate approaches. First, I will examine how it is that Ophelia’s representation is harmful in Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Second I will show how feminist readers and critics have approached the …

Measuring Financial Literacy: A Comparative Study Across Two Collegiate Groups, Emma Floyd

Honors Theses

This study analyzed the financial literacy of students in the College of Business versus that of students in other colleges at the University of Southern Mississippi. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics, financial literacy, and financial experience. The financial literacy of the students was assessed using a selection of questions from the Jump$tart Coalition Survey of Personal Financial Literacy. The financial literacy of the students was determined based upon the number of questions answered correctly on the survey; however, there was no passing or failing number. Instead, each demographic group was said to …

The Evolution Of Body Size In The Order Siluriformes, D Cooper Campbell

Honors Theses

The evolution of body size has long been a topic of interest to biologists due to the close link between size and various aspects of an organism’s biology. Adult body size is influenced by the underlying tradeoff in energy allocation between maintenance, somatic growth and reproduction. I studied the evolution of a large group of globally distributed (primarily freshwater with some marine forms) fishes to test some basic hypotheses about the evolution of adult body size. Catfish (Siluriformes) are an excellent group for this type of research as they represent approximately 11% of fishes and species range in size from …

The Missing Link: The Impact Of Nutrition Education And The School Lunch Program, Rachel E. Calhoun

Honors Theses

In the U.S., the weight status of overweight and obesity in children is increasing from recent decades (Carrol & Ogden, 2010). Research shows that the prevalence of children developing chronic diseases is influenced by obesity and overweight statuses, shown by existing risk factors (Freedman, Dietz, Srinivasan, & Berenson, 1999). Recent legislation of the National School Lunch Program has aimed to improve the nutritional value of school lunches in elementary schools by requiring fruit and vegetable meal components be provided on each lunch tray (Nutrition Standards, 2012). This quasi experimental study aimed to increase fourth graders nutrition knowledge and fruit and …

Sehnsucht In The Heine Lieder Of Schubert’S Schwanengesang, Kathleen P. Brandau

Honors Theses

This thesis considers the theme of Sehnsucht in the context of German Romantic music, in particular, the Heine Lieder from Franz Schubert’s Schwanengesang. Of particular interest is the ordering of the Heine Lieder and the narrative that emerges when the songs are reordered to conform to the arrangement in Heinrich Heine’s poetic collection, Buch der Lieder. The final chapter identifies instances of Sehnsucht in the text and suggests a hidden poetic cycle that sheds light on some unusual musical connections between the poetry and Schubert’s settings of individual songs.

The Effects Of Recreational Rock Climbing On Vascular And Nonvascular Plant Communities In Southeastern Tennessee, Caitlin A. Ruby

Honors Theses

Popularity for non-consumptive outdoor recreations has rapidly increased over the past decades. With many national and state park regulations failing to regulate rock climbing, scholars are concerned for the amount of ecological disturbance that may occur if left unmonitored. Visual assessments to disturbance disparities between remote climbing locales and contradictory scientific literature confirmed the need for further research on the effects of rock climbing on cliff ecology. Two climbing centers were focused in Southeastern Tennessee: Foster Falls in Sequatchie County and Leda in Hamilton County. Convenience sampling was used to collect 24 transects from intermediately graded routes and 24 transects …

Narcissism And Late Adolescent Friendships: Perceived Closeness, Cooperation, Competitiveness, And Friendship Quality, Suzanne Chinyere Amadi

Honors Theses

Pathological and non-pathological dimensions of narcissism are correlated with indices of adolescent internalizing symptoms and externalizing behaviors, especially in the context of peer relationships. The current study examined 219 (181 females, 38 males) 18 year-olds’ perceptions of their friendships, including closeness, cooperation, competitiveness, and friendship quality in relation to pathological (i.e., grandiose, vulnerable) and non-pathological (i.e., normal) narcissism. Data were collected through online, self-report questionnaires. Grandiose narcissism was significantly correlated with perceived closeness, cooperation, and competitiveness but not with friendship quality. Vulnerable narcissism was significantly positively correlated with perceived competitiveness but unassociated with perceptions of closeness, cooperation, and friendship quality. …

Bridging Theories Of Phonological Awareness For Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Children: Perspectives From Verbotonal Specialists In The United States, Jazmin Rambeau

Honors Theses

Approaching literacy instruction for children who are deaf and hard of hearing is one of the most significant challenges within global education because there are various evidence-based theories in the literature as to why children who are deaf and hard of hearing often manifest impaired reading abilities compared to children with normal hearing, and how they may acquire literacy skills differently. This study aims to identify agreements within the literature regarding the role of phonological awareness in literacy acquisition for children who are deaf and hard of hearing, and how tools such as the Verbotonal method of auditory therapy may …

Family Planning, Pregnancy, And Birth In Guatemala: Maya Women And Modern Healthcare, Kelsay Payton

Honors Theses

Within Maya populations in rural Guatemala, childbearing is considered a sacred and spiritual experience, in addition to a physical one. This country is home to some of the highest rates of maternal and infant mortality in Latin America, along with the largest disparities in health care, primarily between the indigenous Maya and ladino women (Schooley 2009). The use of biomedical reproductive services remains surprisingly low among the Maya, while it is continually rising in the ladino populations. To increase the overall reproductive health care in these indigenous communities, attention must be given to the understanding of Maya’s beliefs, therefore enabling …

A Call For Hearing Loss Prevention Programs In College Music Education Programs, Jason Taurins

Honors Theses

Music educators, ensemble conductors, and students who participate in musical ensembles are exposed to sound pressure levels which exceed the criteria for NIOSH. As such, this population should be enrolled in hearing loss prevention programs. Ensemble directors (many music educators fall into this category) have a direct role in influencing the sound pressure levels produced in rehearsals. Music educators have a role in influencing the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors of their students. Because of the health risks of noise exposure, and the role music educators (and ensemble directors in general) have in influencing their students, hearing loss prevention should …

Outline Plan For A Student-Involved Fitness Assessment Program At Western Michigan University, Joanna Gangwisch

Honors Theses

This research was aimed at developing a fitness assessment program that would provide undergraduate exercise science students at Western Michigan University (WMU) with hands on experience that would successfully prepare them for their internships and future careers as well as benefiting the campus community at large. Data for this research was obtained by examining the student recreation center websites and sending out an email/phone questionnaire to WMU’s 10 peer institutions. Direct comparisons were made and evaluated. On the basis of the results of this research, it can be concluded that WMU’s exercise science department and student recreation center together could …

Training Tutors To Use A Time Delay Procedure To Increase Vocal Manding In Children With Autism, Chelsea Roberts

Honors Theses

Learning how to spontaneously mand, or request without prompting, can be difficult for children diagnosed with developmental disabilities. Previous research has shown that the implementation of a time-delay procedure aids in increasing spontaneous mands with these children (Charlop, Shreibman, & Thibodeau, 1985). The goal of this study was to increase vocal mands in children with developmental disabilities with a time-delay procedure by training their undergraduate tutors, using Behavioral Skills Training (BST), how to implement the procedure in naturally occurring opportunities. The study used a multiple baseline across participants design. The intervention used in this study can help children with developmental …

Making And Breaking Men: Michigan Colleges, Manliness, And The Civil War, Christopher Hickey

Honors Theses

Educational systems in antebellum Michigan were markers and propagators of cultural self-identity for the community they belonged. The relationship between institutions and communities were reciprocal in nature; the fortunes of one depended on the other. Colleges and their communities, though initially separate in goal and custom, became increasingly bound through shared self-identity. Communities used these educational institutions not only to restate and promote existing social values and norms, but also as vehicles for reform. The values and self-identity were reflected in what these institutions taught. Instruction was utilitarian in nature, with the goal of making useful and skillful citizens, thereby …

"Bachelorette": A Footlight Production, Tamsen Glaser

Honors Theses

A WMU Theatre Footlight Production of “Bachelorette” by Leslye Headland. An in-depth directing process of Headland’s third installment of her Seven Deadly Sins series, focusing on a re-definition of gluttony in today’s society and how our culture of excess affects the young adult generation.

The Insights Of Hannah Arendt And Virtue Ethics On Education, Benjamin Bellinger

Honors Theses

This paper attempts to find the purpose of education and resolve if critical thinking can be taught in education. To answer this question the paper uses Hannah Arendt’s seminal piece The Human Condition, her political essays Between Past and Future, and her journalistic controversy Eichmann in Jerusalem to formulate Arendt’s view on education. Julia Annas’ book Intelligent Virtue gives this work a framework for how one learns a virtue. Alasdair MacIntyre’s After Virtue provides the theory for how one grounds the virtues by continuing a version of Aristolean virtue ethics. While this work does not directly use Nicomachean …

Managing The Credibility Of A Nonprofit Organization In The Face Of Unexpected Publicity, Regan Crowell

Honors Theses

Ethical conduct of a nonprofit organization was suspected to impact the credibility of the organization as perceived by its stakeholders. This study uses secondary research for three nonprofit organizations in order to gain a closer look at the ethical issues of compensation, conflicts of interest, and the combined issues of accountability and strategic management. The nonprofit organizations discussed are United Way, Susan G. Komen, and The ALS Association. Each faced unexpected publicity, either positive or negative, and managed the organization’s credibility through dealing with one of the named ethical issues. Based on the case studies conducted for the three nonprofit …

Fueling Performance: Determining The Efficacy Of Low-Carbohydrate Diet Models For Athletic Populations, Chelsea Jackle

Honors Theses

Advocates of low-carbohydrate (LC) diets assert that these diets help lessen dependence on sugar while aiding in the metabolism of fat tissue. Additionally, it is believed that lipolysis helps dieters feel more energetic, lose weight, and improve physical performance. For these reasons, many athletes and active people are drawn to diets such as the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Paleo Diet, and the Zone Diet. According to current evidence, excessive weight loss, ketosis, reduced glycogen availability, dehydration, and increased stress hormone levels make LC diets that severely limit carbohydrates disadvantageous for athletes. Although LC diets are widely followed, …

Incidental Phonological Awareness Instruction In Early Childhood Education: The Development Of An Observational Tool, Emma Cooper

Honors Theses

Explicit phonological awareness instruction in preschool curricula has been established as playing a fundamental role in improving reading outcomes in children (Carroll, Snowling, Stevenson, & Hulme, 2003). However, to date, there has been a lack of evidential research data that assess the value of incidental phonological awareness instruction as a supplement to regular instruction within these preschool classrooms (Phillips, Clancy-Menchetti, & Lonigan, 2008). This study covers the development and evaluation of an observational tool designed to capture, quantify, and assess instances of incidental phonological awareness instruction in preschool and early childhood education classrooms.

After a review of extant measures, a …

A Behavior Analytic Conceptualization Of The Assessment And Treatment Of Delusional Speech, Rebecca Braginton

Honors Theses

This case conceptualization looks at past treatments for schizophrenia and then introduces a behavioral approach to assessing and treating delusional speech in a hypothetical client with schizophrenia. The treatment assessment would consist of five treatment conditions and a control condition. The delusional speech would be triggered by specific conversational themes. The results of the treatment assessment would inform the protocol that would be written for the client's delusional speech. After a protocol is written, there would need to be staff training. Behavioral skills training (BST) has been proven to be an effective form of training that provides trainees with opportunities …

Cross-Cultural Comparison For Treatments Of Autism Between Germany And The United States, Jenna Hicken

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to compare perceptions of interventions for children with Autism between Germany and the United States. As the rate of Autism continually rises, more questions are asked about what are the most effective methods of treatment, and how children with Autism can be integrated into society together with children without disabilities (Newschaffer, Falb, & Gurney, 2005). A survey was developed and sent to teachers, psychologists, and speech-language pathologists in the United States and Germany. There were 9 participants from the United States and 3 participants from Germany. The majority of participants from both countries were …

Technology And Nutrition: Interactive Strategies For Children To Learn Nutrition, Nicole Bogden

Honors Theses

This manuscript aims to describe nutritional requirements and needs for children and how technology is being used to improve nutritional knowledge among them. Several technologies and applications are explored, and recommendations are given for ways to improve. Four interactive nutrition games for children are examined: two computer games and two mobile applications. Through revision of performance, nutrition content, attraction, design and attention capabilities, HealthyHeroes was chosen to be the best game for children to learn and have fun with the subject of nutrition.

Autism And Its Effects On Students, Shane Fitzsimmons

Honors Theses

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and autism are both disorders characterized by difficulties with socialization and communication as well as repetitive behaviors (“Autism Spectrum Disorder” Handout). Difficulties in identifying feelings, hypersensitivities, and not accepting affection well are all common in people with autism spectrum disorder (Volkmar “Autism” and Horwood 39-42, 45, 47, 53-55, 57-59). The current rate of autism is 1 in 68, affecting 4 to 5 times as many males as females (“Autism Spectrum Disorder” Handout). The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) mentioned that both genes and the environment play a role in causing autism, and no study has …

The Effects Of Colorimetry And Spectroscopy Using The Iso M0, M1 And M2 Modes, Kaylee Flannery

Honors Theses

The use of Optical Brightening Agents (OBA’s) in printing and proofing papers has drastically increased and, while the use of OBA’s has improved the appearance for end-use consumers, it represents great challenges to those attempting to successfully color manage the print. Therefore, standards have been created in order to assist in the measurement of these papers, and can be found within ISO 13655-2009: Spectral Measurement and Colorimetric Computation for Graphic Arts Images. This newly defined measurement standard is referred to as the “M” series. While this new standard has its advantages, it also poses some disadvantages. This report will …

Making Marriages Work: Common Factors Of Marriage Theories, Jilynn Leeuw

Honors Theses

Divorce is very common in the United States today; an alarming 40 to 50 percent of marriages end in divorce (American Psychological Association, 2015). In response to this, there are many theories and reading materials saying they can help prevent divorce or help couples obtain a successful marriage. This thesis examines five different marriage theories and the factors the authors say can help prevent a divorce or factors that lead to a successful marriage. It examines Marital Enhancement through Cognitive Self-Disclosure by Edward Waring, The Triangular Theory of Love by Robert Sternberg, John Gottman’s Gottman Method Couple Therapy, The Five …

Importance Of Preserving History: A Conservation Of An Edwardian Wedding Dress, Brittany Aris

Honors Theses

The Importance of Preserving History: The Conservation of an Edwardian Wedding Dress

This thesis concentrates on the significance of recorded history, and the importance of conserving artifacts such as an Edwardian wedding dress. Such treasured pieces contribute to our perception of the past, not only as artifacts but as an insight into how, why, and by whom, they were created.

The Edwardian period is so important in women’s fashion because it was such a short-lived era. The socio-economic times that preceded the Edwardian era, such as the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian era, all had profound impacts which helped influence …

Out Of Place: Stories, Molly Beckwith

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Unsteady Nasalance Traces Among Sustained Vowels In Typical Adult Speakers: Prevalence & Potential Causes, Catherine Hearit

Honors Theses

Background. Vowels are a commonly used stimulus for evaluating speech resonance because hypernasality is best detected in vowel sounds. It was observed that steady-state sustained vowels show considerable within sample nasalance variance, although nasalance is expected to be stable for this speech target.

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to ascertain the prevalence of variability among normal speakers in steady state vowel nasalance traces and to determine the variables that predict variability.

Methods: Sixty-one participants aged 18 through 30 years were recruited. All participants were lifelong residents of the lower peninsula of Michigan with normal hearing sensitivity and no …