Digital Commons Network^™

An Exploration Of Russian "Plea Bargaining": Americanization And Administratization Theses, Nathaniel Brewer

Honors Theses

This Project attempts to answer the question: Why did Russia adopt a legal practice that is seemingly inconsistent with its inquisitorial legal history? The Project examines this question through two theses posited by Máximo Langer and applying them to the Russian Federation’s Code of Criminal Procedure (“CCP”) Chapter 40. Chapter 40 of the CCP creates the Special Trial Procedure (“STP”), a summary proceeding allowing the defendant to agree to the charges they face in exchange for a reduced sentence. In inquisitorial legal systems, this sort of proceeding is not meant to occur because they are meant to be predicated on …

The Relationship Between Religious Coping Styles And Eating Disorder Risk In Christians In A University Setting, Meghan E. Aubuchon

Honors Theses

Existing research on eating disorders and religion is beginning to gain momentum in the present day, but research is lacking on the topic of religious coping and eating disorder risk. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between two known styles of religious coping—positive and negative—and eating disorder risk in University of Mississippi students, faculty, and staff who identify as Christian. A survey consisting of basic demographic questions, the EAT-26, and the Brief RCOPE was distributed via emails sent by the office of IREP to students, faculty, and staff at the University of Mississippi. A total of 330 participants were …

The Benefits Of Using Children's Books In Lesson Planning, Katie Bethel

Honors Theses

This thesis investigates the many benefits that children’s books provide for children. The purpose of this thesis was to create lesson plans for teachers to use that specifically incorporate children’s books into their teaching. This thesis begins with my rationale for this topic as my rationale pulled together both my career and personal connections to some of my life experiences. Then this rationale is followed by a research paper that looks into the many benefits that children’s books provide. With this research and background information, I was able to gather a list of children's books that exemplified many of the …

Neurodivergent Experiences In Communication Sciences And Disorders Programs As Reflected In Reddit, Shadha Al Kalbani

Honors Theses

By definition, neurodivergent students are those whose brain function differs significantly from societal expectations (Walker, 2014). The term ‘neurodivergent’ is associated with the Neurodiversity Movement. Although the Neurodiversity Movement was spearheaded by the Autistic1 community, the term commonly includes other forms of neurodivergence such as ADHD and dyslexia. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of neurodivergent students in Communication Sciences Disorders (CSD) programs, where systematic data on their demographics and experience is relatively limited. Specifically, this study analysed posts from the online social media platform Reddit that are dedicated to the college experience of neurodivergent students …

What Is Known And Not Known About The Impact Of Social Media On Self-Esteem: Systematic Literature Review Of Research On Adolescents (2014-2024), Kailen Mokhantha-Sopraseuth

Honors Theses

Prior research has found social media can impact how users feel about themselves and can influence how individuals perceive the world around them. Due to the increase in adolescent usage of social media, a systematic literature review of research available through Western Michigan University’s library was conducted. This study was aimed at summarizing and critically evaluating research on the impact of social media use on adolescent’s self-esteem using a qualitative systematic literature review from the last decade, with some quantitative analysis. Specifically, this study examined 1) what methods of data collection was used, 2) research designs implemented, and 3) results …

The Immune System Under Pressure: Understanding The Impact Of Stress On Immune Function And Health, Kaeshwinie Murugan

Honors Theses

Stress has a profound impact on the immune health of college students, exacerbated by challenges such as academic pressures, sleep deprivation, and inadequate coping strategies. This study investigates the relationship between stress and immune function among students at Western Michigan University, utilizing survey data and existing literature to explore mechanisms of stress-induced immune suppression and identify effective interventions. The survey, conducted with 100 participants, revealed that over 70% experienced stress that adversely affected their immune systems, with 60% reporting insufficient sleep and 20% sleeping less than five hours per night.

The survey further highlighted students' reliance on specific coping mechanisms, …

Bridging The Gap: Examining The Discrepancies In Communication Skills Between University Education And Employer Expectations, Valerie Chan

Honors Theses

Effective communication is a critical skill in the workplace, yet a persistent gap exists between the communication abilities of university graduates and the expectations of employers. This study explores the alignment between the communication skills taught in the Western Essential Studies (WES) general education curriculum at Western Michigan University (WMU) and the communication needs identified by employers. By examining four communication types—oral, written, interpersonal, and digital—this research investigates the similarities and differences in how faculty and employers define and emphasize communication skills.

Findings reveal a misalignment between the skills emphasized in university curricula and those prioritized in the workplace. Faculty …

Natural Medicine Use In Costa Rica, Elizabeth Krol

Honors Theses

This study explores the role of natural medicine in Costa Rican culture, while focusing on its historical, cultural, and clinical significance. With a literature review, ethnobotanical research, and a study abroad experience, this paper highlights the integration of natural, herbal medicine into modern healthcare. Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity, with its varied microclimates and abundant medicinal plants, forms a strong foundation for traditional herbal medicine. Indigenous groups such as the BriBri and Cabécar contributed significantly to this legacy, which has evolved through interactions with European and Afro-Caribbean populations.

Research emphasizes the cultural importance of herbal medicine within the “Pura Vida” lifestyle, …

Fostering The Forum: Examining The Progress And Challenges In Cultivating A Free Speech Campus At Western Michigan University, Kalloli Bhatt

Honors Theses

The First Amendment’s breadth has narrowed on college and university campuses. Students, once staunch defenders of free speech, have become the censors themselves. In fact, there have been so many incidents of speaker disinvitations and scholars under scrutiny that the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, otherwise known as FIRE, has amassed years’ worth of data documenting these occurrences. This phenomenon has been so widespread for so long that scholars have been sounding the warning bells since 1987 (Bloom, 1987). While it may seem as if these problems occur at bigger universities, events that have violated First Amendment rights of …

Perceptions And Attitudes Of Western Michigan University Students On Antibiotic Medications, Emily Boask

Honors Theses

On a global scale, antibiotic resistance is a threat to public health. The causes of antibiotic resistance are multifaceted, including healthcare providers overprescribing antibiotics, antibiotic overuse in farming and food production, and antibiotic misuse or malpractices. The public recognizes antibiotic resistance as a significant problem but there are serious knowledge gaps regarding antibiotic resistance and antibiotic stewardship.

University students are a particularly important subpopulation of the public to understand appropriate antibiotic use because many of these individuals are navigating their health concerns on their own for the first time. Many individuals believe that antibiotics can improve cold symptoms, upper respiratory …

The Relations Between The Financial Wellbeing Of Custodial Grandparents, Their Overall Wellbeing, And Their Perceived Social Support, Paige L. Miller

Honors Theses

There have been numerous studies on how the financial wellbeing of custodial grandparents affects their overall wellbeing, and how the amount of social support custodial grandparents receive impacts their depressive and anxiety symptoms. However, little is known regarding the ways in which all three variables are related – financial wellbeing, overall wellbeing, and social support – or their impact on custodial grandparents. We examined the relations between these variables, as well as the moderating relation of financial wellbeing on social support and wellbeing. The data used in the current study was collected as part of a larger project, during which …

Parenting Practices And Attachment Levels In Relation To Externalizing Behaviors In Children Raised By Nonparental Caregivers, Kourtney Mia Barfield

Honors Theses

Current literature supports parenting practices and the quality of child-caregiver attachments are correlated with child externalizing behavior. However, these results typically come from samples of biological parents and their children. It is unknown if parenting practices (i.e. poor supervision, inconsistent discipline, and positive parenting) predict attachment and externalizing behavior among children of grandparents and foster parents. Previous studies have also found
that attachment mediates the relation between parenting practices and externalizing behavior among children raised by biological parents. This study aims to determine if similar relations will be found among grandchildren and foster children and if the level of attachment …

Wearable Technology In Intercollegiate Sport: Ethical And Legal Considerations Of Collecting Student-Athlete Biometric Data, Taryn Deshane

Honors Theses

As wearable technology becomes increasingly integrated into athletic performance tracking, questions surrounding privacy, consent, and data ownership emerge. This research investigates how universities and athletic organizations navigate the complex issues surrounding athlete biometric data (ABD) collection and usage, with a particular emphasis on intercollegiate athletics. While the use of biometric data is widespread across both professional and amateur sports, this study hones in on the college sports environment, examining how ABD is collected, the ethical concerns it raises, and how it impacts student-athletes and institutions.

This pilot study centers on student-athletes at Western Michigan University, specifically focusing on Division 1 …

Ethics Of Ai In The Classroom, Kyle Kos

Honors Theses

Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly evolving and is increasingly being used in classrooms. Several different forms of artificial intelligence have gained popularity within the past, one form of AI with widespread use in the classroom is Generative Pre-Trained Transformer (ChatGPT). This paper explores how the recent surge of popularity of ChatGPT has caused concerns of ethical use in the classroom. Additionally, this paper explores the capabilities and strategies for students to use AI, specifically in nursing.

ChatGPT can offer extraordinary resources to students through capabilities such as essay writing and editing, generation of answers to questions instantly from a vast …

Qualitative Research: Exploring Food Preservation Methods In Rural Appalachian Kentucky To Address Food Deserts, Michele L. Highland

Honors Theses

This study aims to explore safe food preservation methods for rural Appalachian households in Kentucky, where residents may face challenges related to food insecurity and living in food deserts. Four interviews were conducted with food preservation professionals from Extension Offices (n=2) or community kitchens (n=2) in Kentucky. The researchers transcribed the interviews, and the qualitative data were analyzed using MAXQDA version 24. Through this qualitative analysis, coding and themes related to food preservation methods were identified. The results indicated that water bath canning and freezing were identified as the most recommended methods for home preservation due to their convenience and …

To Read Or Not To Read: How Book Censorship Affects Students And Undermines Different Worldviews, Jordyn L. Bailey

Honors Theses

The past five years have seen an unprecedented growth in book challenges across the nation. The American Library Association announced in March 2024 that 2023 saw a ninety-two percent increase in challenged titles, making it a record year for book bans and challenges (American Library Association 2024). States are seeing increased government inference into these issues. Namely, Florida remains a leader in book challenges with over forty percent of all book bans in the 2022-2023 school year (Meehan 2023). This project examines the effect of book challenges and bans on adolescent readers, with an emphasis on how frequently challenged books, …

Advocating For The Role Of An Occupational Therapy Assistant In The Mental Health Field, Aleah Snell

Honors Theses

As a student in the WMU OTA Bachelor's of Science program, I completed a baccalaureate project. I chose to advocate for the role of occupational therapy in traditional mental health settings. I chose this topic as I have had several close loved ones struggle with mental health, and I wanted to push my learning of occupational therapy's role in this setting further. Upon choosing my topic, I learned although occupational therapy initially started in mental health aiding veterans returning from war, only 2-3% of OT practitioners work in a mental health setting today. I wanted to understand this decline, and …

A Modern Moral Dilemma: A Utilization Of Culture Wars For Political Gain Within The United States Government, Abigail K. Lowry

Honors Theses

The present study researches the background of culture wars within the United States and showcases how these culture wars are being utilized by political entrepreneurs in order to achieve a goal separate from resolving the expressed policy issue. In an effort to investigate this phenomenon, this paper analyzes the historical timeline of several prominent culture wars within the United States and then uses this background as a lens to examine the political successes and failures of two United States governors who attempted to utilize culture wars in order to advance themselves politically. By examining the rhetoric used by Ron DeSantis …

Nourishing Nations: A Comparative Analysis Of American Food Production Laws & Regulations, Morgan Flood

Honors Theses

Food manufacturing, distribution, and consumption have a significant influence on equity, sustainability of the environment, and public health. Food regulations control these factors, but there are substantial variations in how European countries and America balance safety, innovation, and economic interests. With a focus on finding flaws in the American regulatory system, this thesis compares the rules and regulations overseeing food production in the US and Europe. It examines how these inequalities fuel environmental deterioration, economic inequality, and public health issues. For example, dangerous chemicals like titanium dioxide, potassium bromate, and Red Dye 40 have been restricted in the European Union …

“The Wonderful Improvement”: Landscape And Morals In Jane Austen’S Mansfield Park, Montanah Middleton

Honors Theses

This thesis examines how Jane Austen uses depictions of landscapes and estates in her novel Mansfield Park to explore questions of morality, comment on society, and explore humanity's relationship with the natural world. While previous scholarship has analyzed Austen's symbolic use of places like Sotherton and Mansfield Park itself, this study provides a more comprehensive investigation by closely reading the descriptions and judgments passed on two other estates featured in the novel not analyzed by the scholarship explored. Developing a nuanced definition of "landscape,” the analysis is grounded in Austen's verbal depictions that imbue the physical settings with moral significance. …

Influence Of Head Sway On The Availability Of Visual Information In An Affordance Task, Ron Dickson Jr.

Honors Theses

This thesis investigated how varying postural conditions and environmental challenges influence human affordance perception in virtual environments, focusing specifically on participants’ judgments about whether they could stand upright on sloped surfaces. Using virtual reality (VR) to simulate ramps at various inclines, participants assessed their ability to stand on these slopes under different postural constraints (unaided standing, leaning, and touch-supported). Data was collected on head movement dynamics, including movement magnitude, variability, and complexity, using measures such as Euclidean distance and effort-to-compress (ETC). Logistic and linear regression analyses revealed that slope angle and stance significantly impacted participants' affordance judgments and movement patterns, …

A Rose By Any Other Name: Impressionism As Definition And Aesthetic In The Music Of Claude Debussy, Erin Smith

Honors Theses

The premiere of Parisian composer Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune created a link between his music and the artistic Impressionism movement, which began in 1874 as a rejection of Realism. Musical Impressionism, initially an ill-fitting title, would gradually shift to encompass the compositional techniques of Debussy, and would also inspire new musical styles as a rejection of musical Impressionism. This project compares the defining features of Impressionism across artistic mediums, analyzes Debussy's music in relation to Impressionist painting, and examines his resistance to the label within a broader dialogue on evoking sensation through abstract forms. In doing so, …

Sands Of Change In The Mississippi Delta: How Local Newspapers Prevent News Deserts From Silencing Their Communities, Sophia H. Lapalme

Honors Theses

This thesis analyzes the results from four interviews conducted with media professionals working in the Mississippi Delta to determine the risks news deserts pose in the Mississippi Delta. The interviewees represented The Yazoo Herald, Greenwood Commonwealth, The Panolian, and The DeSoto Times-Tribune. The Mississippi Delta is the poorest region of the poorest state in the United States of America, increasing the likelihood of news deserts since they form in poor and rural areas. The interviewees answered thirteen questions that addressed changes in the newspaper industry, the roles journalists fill in society, the future of journalism, and their concerns about news …

Effects Of Experimenter Behaviors On Participants' Mood, Jackson Everett

Honors Theses

This study investigated whether experimenter behaviors affected self-reported levels of state and trait anxiety, emotional valence memory, and projective interpretations of ambiguous stimuli. I hypothesized that participants exposed to anxious experimenters would report higher levels of state anxiety, recall more negative words, and render more negative interpretations while warm experimenters would lead participants to report lower levels of state anxiety, recall more positive words, and produce more positive interpretations. Participants (N = 98) were randomly assigned to either an anxious, flat, or warm experimenter condition and completed the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI; Spielberger et al., 1983), heard a list of …

Study Of The Effect Of Social Anxiety And Social Support On Third Place Perceptions In Student Samples, Lillian M. Lestrange

Honors Theses

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and perceived social support are well-documented to influence social interaction styles and behaviors. Some data suggests that SAD and social support relate to perceptions and familiarity with various public spaces outside of home and work (i.e., third places). This study assessed relations among social anxiety, self-perceived social support, and attitudes/beliefs about ten common third places (i.e., perceived degree of restorativeness, preference, and sentiment for these places) among undergraduate psychology students (n = 92). Contrary to predictions based on prior research (Fong et al, 2021, Case & Hunter, 2012), social anxiety symptoms did not correlate with any …

Evaluating The Duckweeds Lemna Minor And Spirodela Polyrhiza As Alternative Aquatic Hosts For The Spread Of The Bacterial Wilt Pathogen, Ralstonia Solanacearum, Irelynn Smith

Honors Theses

Ralstonia solanacearum is a plant pathogen that causes bacterial wilt disease in major crops such as tomatoes and potatoes. Recently, this bacterium was discovered in floating pennywort (Hydrocotyle ranunculoides) and Pennsylvania smartweed (Polygonum pennysylvanicum), two previously unsuspected aquatic plants. Duckweed is an aquatic plant with a high level of resilience and short doubling time. Common duckweed (Lemna minor) has previously demonstrated its capability as a versatile high-yield infection model for other types of pathogenic bacteria. Given this newfound branch of aquatic hosts and the fact that duckweed is a common pond weed previously identified in several ponds located nearby infected …

Barriers In Reporting Sexual Violence On College Campuses, Amber Hartman

Honors Theses

This thesis is designed to examine the underreporting of sexual violence on college campuses by exploring the systemic, cultural, and logistical barriers that hinder victims from disclosing their assault. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, the research identifies three overarching influences for non-reporting. Fear, shame, and lack of resources are presented as the basis of the decision that victims make to not report. Meta-analysis of the research concludes that there is a profound impact of internalized victim-blaming narratives, fear of repercussions and institutional deficiencies in providing accessible support. Recommendations for solutions emphasize creating trauma-informed policies, improving communication and accessibility of …

Effect Of Running Cadence On Tibial Acceleration: Implications For Runners Experiencing Stress Injuries, Victoria Hilfiker

Honors Theses

I. Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of cadence modification on tibial acceleration (TA) in the interest of exploring potential methods to reduce the incidence of stress-related running injuries. II. Methods Eleven injury-free distance runners were recruited to run at 6 different cadences with acoustic pacing. An inertial measurement unit (IMU) containing an onboard triaxial accelerometer was mounted on the right medial distal tibia to record acceleration at each of these paces. A repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to determine differences in tibial acceleration over varying cadences. Effect sizes (╖2 and Cohen’s d) were examined to …

Exploring The Relationship Between Nutrition-Related Attitudes And Use Of Scrappy’S Cupboard Among College Students At The University Of Tennessee At Chattanooga, Emma Rosenberger

Honors Theses

Introduction This thesis examines the relationship between nutrition-related attitudes and the use of Scrappy’s Cupboard, a campus food pantry, among undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). This study aims to determine how students’ attitudes toward nutrition influence their likelihood of utilizing campus food resources, highlighting differences between users and non-users of Scrappy’s Cupboard. A correlation between nutrition-related attitudes and the use of Scrappy's Cupboard was expected, with pantry users reporting more positive attitudes towards nutrition compared to non-users. Methods A survey was administered to UTC students to assess their nutrition-related attitudes, food pantry usage, …

The Disconnect Between Spanish-Speaking Communities And Law Enforcement And The Detrimental Effect It Has On Both, Belma Kurpejovic

Honors Theses

The increase of Latino communities in mid-sized and smaller cities, along with the impact of language competency and lack of programs for law enforcement, has been sufficiently explored, yet issues persist. This study examines the disconnect between Spanish-speaking communities and law enforcement, which has created significant distrust and communication issues. Examining these communities is important because there is still a need to mend these relationships. This study explores the effects of this divide and how to help fix it. Information obtained from law enforcement officers at the Chattanooga Police Department, highlights key issues, including the lack of community-based policing, cultural …