Digital Commons Network^™

Prone To Success: The Effects Of Prone On Handwriting Legibility, Magdalene M. Pearl

Honors Theses

This study was conducted to answer the question: “Does writing in prone result in more legible handwriting?” due to the prevalence of the prone position used in occupational therapy as a handwriting intervention and the lack of data supporting it. The study participants included 43 kindergarteners divided into an intervention group and control group based on convenience through classroom enrollment. The intervention or prone group did at least three prone activities a week for three weeks and the control group followed their normal handwriting curriculum. A pre-posttest of each group was performed using the Handwriting Without Tears Screener of Handwriting …

Dos Idiomas: Concise Recommendations For Bilingual Speech Therapy, Erin E. F. Wilson

Honors Theses

Spanish-English dual language learners living in the United States present an incredibly diverse and heterogeneous group. Many members of this community may experience a variety of communication disorders that must be addressed by speech-language pathologists and associated professionals. Currently, these children face many barriers to receiving proper speech and language services and care, including misidentification, miscommunication with caregivers, and inappropriate intervention methods. This thesis project outlines several key differences that clinicians should be aware of in the development of bilingual children and continues to describe key clinical strategies that can be used during identification, intervention, and caregiver involvement. It is …

Disadvantaged Response: How To Improve Disaster Resiliency For Low-Income Families, Grace E. Crosthwaite

Honors Theses

Disaster resiliency is the ability of individuals and communities to anticipate, cope with, and deal with disasters through specific resources and awareness. However, at-risk populations, or those who have certain social disabilities, often lack the same level of resiliency to disasters as those who do not exhibit the same social vulnerabilities. Specifically, low-income families do not exhibit the same level of resiliency as other populations compared to other families and populations. Low-income families are often marginalized in disaster management, which plays a role in their lack of resiliency.

The following report will identify provides a general understanding of disaster resiliency …

Sustainability In Minor League Sports, Sara Nimmo

Honors Theses

The COVID-19 Pandemic has greatly impacted the sports industry with the substantial changes that were prevalent during 2020. With those changes, many leagues had drastic budget decreases and were forced to compensate for the lost revenues. Many teams throughout Minor League Baseball, the AHL and the NBA G League were forced to come up with creative revenue streams as well as cost cutting strategies in order to maintain operations after the pandemic. Along with the effects of COVID-19 on the business of minor league sports, there is also heightened attention on what minor league teams are doing to sustain the …

The Association Between Parental Relationships And The Marital Views, Attitudes, And Relationships Of College Students, Emma Oswald

Honors Theses

Divorce is a prevalent issue in the United States, even though research suggests that a healthy marriage is beneficial to children’s development and well-being (Ribar, 2015). Children having divorced parents (Potter, 2010) and parents in unhappy marriages are associated with more difficulties with the psychological well-being of children (Bannon, et al. 2018). The goal of the present study was to determine whether parental divorce and relationship quality are associated with the marital views, attitudes, and relationships of college students. Participants were asked to complete a series of online survey scales measuring parental relationship status, age of parental divorce (if divorced), …

Food Insecurity In Collegiate Athletes During Covid-19, Elizabeth Swindell

Honors Theses

A study done by Georgetown University in 2019 found that one-fourth of NCAA, D1 collegiate athletes experience food insecurity. The study purpose was to examine food security levels in student athletes at a southern university and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food security in these students. A survey was completed by student athletes to determine their food security levels during the 2020 academic year at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey included questions relating to food security based on the USDA’s food insecurity module as well as questions specifically related to the impact of food security …

A Series Of Accounting Case Studies, Grace Anne Jones

Honors Theses

The following thesis consists of a variety of case studies surrounding accounting and related topics. Each case contains an introduction to the case and key takeaways from completing the case. Through completing these cases, I gained valuable knowledge regarding current accounting issues a developed a more robust understanding of the profession. The case studies were completed during the 2020-2021 academic year under the direction of Dr. Victoria Dickinson in fulfillment of the requirements for the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College.

How Chinese Media Reports On Infectious Disease Emergence And Human Environmental Interactions, Kai-Shin Newman

Honors Theses

Human activity and behavior, animal consumption and exploitation, and environmental degradation all impact the planet and those living on it. Each can contribute to the creation of favorable conditions in which pathogenic transmission can easily occur, resulting in an increase in infectious disease emergence. Through the One Health concept, an understanding of how human, animal, and environmental health are connected can help reduce these conditions in which infectious diseases can emerge and spread. However, despite being an established concept, the One Health is not widely known or implemented. Even in a country, such as China, that has a large population, …

Assembling Ideal Actualization In Viennese Social Housing, Jack Day

Honors Theses

The central aims of this paper are to create a potential concept for what an ideal social housing program could look like and then to determine the extent to which the social housing program in Vienna, Austria has brought this ideal to reality. The social housing program in Vienna was chosen due to its popularity as a program and its generally positive reputation. The paper proceeds by first offering potential definitions for social housing, its ideals, and potential indicators for ideal fulfillment. Then, I take influence from the frameworks of assemblage theory and path-dependency theory to analyze the material, temporal, …

An Ipad For Everyone: A Case Study Of The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Digital Transition, Madeline Quon

Honors Theses

In a more technology-driven world, the industry of print journalism has been suffering. It has adapted in the past with the invention of the radio and television for broadcast news, but with the internet and social media, print journalism has been losing ad revenue and readers. Because of the advancements of journalism in the digital aspect, several newspapers have shut down over the past 20 years. Other papers changed their business models to make their content more social media oriented.

One newspaper took a more radical approach to not only stay afloat, but also thrive as a paper. The Arkansas …

A Study Of Accounting And Economic Concepts With Reflection On Various Speakers, Kaitlin Seiberlich

Honors Theses

This thesis contains a series of twelve cases covering various accounting and economic concepts, including five cases providing a deeper analysis of Alphabet Inc. in relation to audit, tax, and advisory strategies formed based on public information and the company’s annual financial statements. The case topics were directed by Victoria Dickinson in accordance with the standards set by the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College at the University of Mississippi. A few of the more technical issues covered in this thesis include a discussion on asset measurement practice, the completion of an excel certification course, and the effects of the Financial …

It's Just Caring: Improving The Museum Experience For Visitors With Autism Through Social Narratives, Reagan R. Stone

Honors Theses

This project explores how museums can improve the visitor experience for visitors with disabilities, more specifically for visitors with autism. In general, museums are environments that have a specific set of rules, guidelines, and built-in social interactions that visitors are expected to understand and follow. These guidelines, as well as the sensory overload that exists within a new environment, can make visiting the museum a stressful, and even negative experience for individuals with autism and their families. A social narrative, a simple written and visual guide that explains characteristics of new environments and various aspects of social situations, is a …

Crying In Public, Sarah Mullen

Honors Theses

Crying in Public is the culmination of a deeply personal body of work that has acted as a sort of diary documenting my journey of growing up and self-discovery. Over the last few years, I have found that there is meaning to be found in the parts of ourselves that we seek to hide, as well as in the constructions that we build to conceal them. This work seeks to move outside of the binary of one’s “true inner self” to explore the tensions found in the space between who we are and who we wish we were. This work …

How Brands Go Viral: An Analysis Of Successful Brand Marketing On Tik Tok With Gen Z, Alyssa Rezek

Honors Theses

This thesis seeks to examine the unique relationship between Generation Z and the social media platform TikTok, especially in regard to its marketing function. A literature review, survey, and interviews were conducted to examine the social media habits of Generation Z and the attitudes they have towards these platforms. The data suggests that highly visual platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok, are more widely used and trusted by members of the generation in question. These trends indicate that brands wishing to market toward this generation should become proficient in the use of these platforms. This research seeks to examine the …

Hey Queens!, Grace Temple

Honors Theses

Drag has been a part of society since as early as Ancient Greece. However, the art form has evolved throughout the centuries and is still evolving today. Modern day drag is commonly associated with RuPaul Charles and his achievements as a drag performer. He has helped pave the way for present and future drag performers to express themselves through the art form. The mainstreaming of drag has had numerous positive and negative impacts on the LGBTQIA+ community. This thesis documents the history of the art form and how it interacts with individual performers and society. This thesis consists of two …

Research Over Improved Methods Of Affective Text Analysis, Zachary Shipp

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Age Concentration And Glucose Levels In Rage-Mediated Cardiac Fibroblast Migration In Type 2 Diabetes, Lorral Kanauss

Honors Theses

Diabetes is one of the largest health concerns in the United States. Its continuous increase in prevalence has led to it being one of the largest healthcare costs and consistently listed as one of the leading causes of death. That being said, diabetes also increases the risk of other health conditions, one of which is cardiovascular disease. Left ventricle hypertrophy resulting in the stiffening of the left ventricle and diastolic dysfunction is one form of cardiovascular disease associated with diabetes. Thought to be impacted by decreased fibroblast migration in the extracellular matrix, the experiments performed in this study seek to …

Age Of The Influencer: Exploring How Influencers Build Trust Online And Its Effect On Young Consumers, Lillian K. Herbstreit, James Blair

Honors Theses

As technology and social media continue to further integrate themselves into everyday life, incredible platforms are dedicated to marketing to our rising generations (Spotswood and Nairn 2016). Inspired by these advancements, Influencer Marketing arose as a uniquely customer-centric approach (Bang and Lee 2016). Despite this approach’s growing popularity in today’s consumers (Sledgianowski and Kulviwat 2009), there is scarce research regarding how influencers as endorsers can cultivate levels of trust with online consumers. This research question emphasized finding literature exclusive to the significance of follower count as a quantitative social status, influencers as endorsers, and the relationships offered by different types …

Exogenous Supply Chain Shocks And Onshoring: An Analysis Of Thetrump Trade War And The U.S.-China Bilateral Trade Relationship, Benjamin Sullivan

Honors Theses

This paper examines the effects of the supply chain crisis on the U.S.-China bilateral trade relationship and on the health of the U.S. manufacturing sector. The policy goals and decision making of both the Trump administration and the Chinese Communist Party are examined, it is determined, within the context of the U.S.-China Trade War, that the Chinese Communist Party made more effective long-term policy decisions than the Trump Administration. However, despite the U.S’s policy failures, this paper finds that U.S. manufacturing competitiveness, relative to China, has actually increased in recent years. This relative increase in manufacturing competitiveness is driving the …

Politics And War In The Cannes International Film Festival: An Analysis Of The Festival’S Unifying Agenda, Julia Grace Wood

Honors Theses

Since its inception, the Cannes International Film Festival was envisioned as a means of using film as a method of diplomacy. In fact, the first two decades of the two-week long festival on the banks of the French Riviera sought to unify politically divided nations in the years following World War II and into the Cold War. My research seeks to identify the political agenda of the festival in the early years and how the Cannes International Film Festival promoted transnationalism and unity between divided nations. I argue that the festival was able to accomplish its unifying agenda through the …

Grit And Food Security Among Female Caregivers In A Rural, Appalachian Mississippi County, Mary Frances Buzhardt

Honors Theses

Background: Grit is the determination and resolve required for accomplishing long term goals.

Research Outcome: This study examined: 1) differences in grit by household food security status; and 2) relationship between grit and household food security status among female caregivers of elementary school children in a rural, Appalachian Mississippi county after participation in a produce voucher intervention.

Methods: Female caregivers (n=1,144) were recruited at three elementary schools in MS in November 2017 and enrolled into a produce voucher intervention ($11/week over 10 weeks). Validated measures of household food security status (10-item USDA survey) and grit score (8-item Duckworth survey) were …

The Dream Of The Common Good: Not A Nightmare, Jackson Gregory Dellinger

Honors Theses

This paper examines an emerging position in the philosophy of law, common-good constitutionalism. In the first two parts of the paper, I explain the position and constitutionalism more generally, examining how common-good constitutionalism fits within the definition of constitutionalism providing by a neutral scholar. In the next five parts, I attempt to show that common-good constitutionalism’s preference for explicit adherence to the common good does not violate constitutionalism. In doing so, I provide an examination of common-good constitutionalism’s relationship with three important constitutional principles and the separability of common-good constitutionalism as a whole and the infamous views of its most …

A Comprehensive Study Of Accounting Methodologies Through Case Studies, Sahara Karki

Honors Theses

This honors case study aims to study the different areas in accounting and dig deeper into some of the accounting scenarios used in the real world. This research is based on different case studies done in the classroom done by analyzing the financials of different companies. These case studies provide students a great opportunity to understand the different accounting concepts by researching and analyzing real-life topics and situations faced by some of the top companies in the nation. This also allowed students to meet professionals from the particular industry to discuss and understand the accounting methodologies and apply that to …

Sources Of Patient Information For Type 2 Diabetes Self-Care In Northern Mississippi, Minh-Sang La

Honors Theses

Given the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in the United States and the continuous rise of cases, especially within Mississippi, there is an increasing need to identify if, and how, patients with Type 2 Diabetes receive information about self-care. While there is data available on the topic of where patients receive their information and the influence it has on their health in other countries of the world, the research on the source of Type 2 Diabetes education in the United States is scarce. Therefore, this study aims to bridge the gap of understanding where patients with Type 2 Diabetes …

Content Analysis Of Vitiligo Portrayal On Social Media, Mary Miller

Honors Theses

Given that vitiligo affects a small percentage of the world population, and its affects are not widely known, there is an increasing need to learn of its effects on those with vitiligo, both physical and psychological. Social media has become an influential platform to spread awareness and build confidence in those with vitiligo. This study aims to find how vitiligo is portrayed through social media using content analysis procedures. This is a cross-sectional content analysis that utilized a codebook to analyze Instagram posts. The results were analyzed by interrater reliability and frequency for each coder. The findings of this content …

How Immigration Policy Affects Migratory Flows And Immigrant Experiences: A Comparative Analysis Of Policy Impacts On Northern Triangle And Venezuelan Immigrants In The United States, Audrey Lynn Mcdonough

Honors Theses

In the past two decades, the US has experienced a large influx of immigrants from Venezuela and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador. Due to these unprecedented increases, there has been numerous notable shifts in Immigration control policy between the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Generally, policies under Obama were favorable and reflected pro-immigrant rhetoric. Meanwhile, Trump took a drastic turn toward restrictionist, unfavorable policies. This study aims to examine the impact of immigration policy on migratory flows and the immigrant experience in the US. Using both quantitative and qualitative methods, I examine data …

Firsthand Experience In A Community Pharmacy Through The Lens Of A Pharmacy Technician, Khamariah Patrice Yelder-Anderson

Honors Theses

In the first chapter, I discussed three of the major issues in a community pharmacy which are rude customers, phones, and shorter hours. Technicians have to deal with very opinionated customers who can come off as insolent. The phones are a popular mode of communication for both the patients and physicians but that doesn’t account for the added demands it places on pharmacy workers. Lastly, the pharmacy has experienced later openings with earlier closings that have left filled queues and unhappy customers. The next chapter, interpersonal dynamic, takes a deeper look into how various roles of the pharmacy engage with …

The Use Of Time-Lapse And Still Photographs To Document The Effects Of Seasonality On Dune Morphodynamic Evolution In Corolla, Nc., Briar Ownby-Connolly

Honors Theses

With climate change altering established seasonal and weather phenomena, understanding the physical behavior of barrier islands and the processes driving such physical changes, specifically within their dune zones, is crucial in promoting their resiliency. With ecosystem services provided by dunes to coastal economies and wildlife habitat, promoting dune conservation serves to advance the benefits of these systems, within a changing climate. Current findings by the Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility in Duck, NC, suggest the significance of local aeolian sediment transport in interplay with storm intensity in effecting dune stability, and that anthropogenic impacts, like the installment of …

A Survey Of The Presentation Of Pharmacogenomic Testing For Psychotropic Medications In Rural Areas, Laken Hancock

Honors Theses

The purpose of this research is to assess the knowledge and opinions of the general public in rural areas in regard to genetic testing and pharmacogenomics. 40 people from self-identified rural areas participated in this study by completing an online Qualtrics questionnaire and an in-person or online semi-structured qualitative interview. The Qualtrics questionnaire measured demographic information, as well as depression, anxiety, stress, positive affect, and negative affect using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS) measures. The semi-structured qualitative interview included questions pertaining to the decision support tool (DST) presented to participants, …

Grabbing Consumers By The Ears: Exploring The Role Of Branded Podcasts In An Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy, Lilly Hamm

Honors Theses

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a framework for understanding how brands can meet consumer needs. Practitioners of IMC use an array of communication channels like marketing, advertising, sales, and public relations to build a consistent brand narrative, but they also recognize that strong marketing potential rests in the hands of the consumer. With the rapid advancement in new technology, IMC professionals are constantly looking for new ways to reach their targeted audience.

By 2016 and 2017, IMC practitioners began to notice the lack of ad clutter in the podcasting platform, leading them to flock to this channel to promote their …