Digital Commons Network^™

Utilizing Journaling To Develop A Personalized And Efficient Musical Practice Regimen, Erin Kilpatrick

Honors Theses

Musicians universally agree that practicing consistently is vital to improvement. However, a lot of young musicians do not understand how to practice effectively. There are many factors that influence practice time, focus, and overall learning. For the purpose of this research, I will define “efficient practicing” as any practice that increases development as a player and encourages the player to continue in pursuit of learning music. This encompasses physical aspects like ligature, reed, mouthpiece, and the horn itself, as well as more broad musicianship fundamentals such as developing a characteristic tone, building technique, and learning how to phrase appropriately, must …

Get It Out Of My Head: The Psychological Effects Of Music In Strategic Advertising Practices, Brady Jonah Wood

Honors Theses

For generations, music has served as a powerful marketing tool. When radio reigned supreme as the go-to source of household entertainment, savvy advertisers employed any means necessary to capture the listener's attention. Even today, music remains a powerful force in shaping culture, driving, and reinforcing consumer behavior.

This study aims to explore how brands leverage music in their advertisements to enhance consumers' recall of their products. By utilizing music as a marketing tool, advertisers can effectively ingrain their products in consumers' minds. Selected advertisements are examined to determine how the effect of advertising jingles can create a consistent and memorable …

Measuring Student Perceptions On Online Vs. Traditional Learning, Peyton Vittitoe, Betsy Matthews

Honors Theses

During the time of the global pandemic, COVID-19, there was a rapid transition in learning environments for schools across the country. During this transition, online based education was viewed extremely poorly by students, educators and even parents. Both students and educators thrived on human interaction in the classroom because it had been familiar to them their entire lives. This familiarity with human interaction was a very important factor for schools when designing learning plans and creating learning objectives. When the pandemic was at its peak, it was unsafe for schools to continue the traditional face-to-face learning methods, so the government …

A Collection Of Case Studies On Financial Accounting Themes, Colton Jones

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of accounting case themes. There are eight cases that comprise this thesis including: Operational Risk Assessment, ESG and Cybersecurity Risk Assessment, Audit Risk and Planning, Tax Planning, Famous Economist, Liquidity Crisis, Financial Crisis, and Excel Fundamentals – Formulas for Finance. There is an immense variety of topics presented and studies throughout this compilation. All have given me an immeasurable learning experience. Case I through Case IV contend with the Case Competition that spread throughout the entire Fall semester. The company that these cases focus on is Chuy’s Holding Incorporated.

Imperative Issues Pertaining To The Accounting World, Tessa Willow Crosby

Honors Theses

This paper focuses on current issues surrounding the accounting industry. The company called 3D System’s Corporation is used to point out different issues in accounting. These issues include carbon sequestration, tax cuts, and liabilities to shareholders. By diving into the world of accounting, this paper peels back the curtain to show how corporations operate financially.

Morality In Mississippi Science Education: The Impact Of Instruction On Moral Conviction And Emotions Regarding Genetic Engineering, Emily Jenkins

Honors Theses

Moral convictions have been shown to impact learning about science topics, but there exists a gap in literature about whether education on the mechanisms of DNA technologies, such as the recently developed CRISPR-Cas9 system, can affect moral convictions and emotions regarding its use on humans. To investigate this relationship, we examined the results of how three-hundred and fifty-three introductory psychology students at the University of Mississippi rated their moral convictions and emotions on the subject before and after engaging with instructional material. The results indicated that a majority of participants originally had no position (48.2%) or were morally opposed (41.6%). …

Exploring The Efficacy Of The Advancement Via Individual Determination (Avid) Program At Promoting Student Motivation, Nya Thompson, Nya J. Thompson

Honors Theses

The Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Program was founded by Mary Katherine Swanson in 1980 in Southern California. She created the program as a social justice initiative to provide additional resources to her students of marginalized backgrounds (e.g., low socioeconomic status, racial and ethnic backgrounds) to prepare them to graduate high school and be accepted into colleges. Decades later, the AVID program is nationwide, but there is only one school district in Mississippi with this program that is founded on the roots of equity. In this specific school district located in Northern Mississippi, the AVID program is available in elementary, …

A Collection Of Accounting Case Studies, Julie Mabrey

Honors Theses

This thesis comprises six accounting case studies investigating accounting practices and other broader financial narratives. Dr. Dickinson assigned and advised the case studies throughout the course of Honors Accountancy 420. During the fall semester, Dr. Dickinson placed us in groups to research assigned companies and how they apply accounting principles. My group was given Commercial Metals Company (CMC), and we investigated their operations, ESG and cybersecurity, audit risks, and tax efficiency. At the end of the semester, we presented our findings to accounting professionals from across the country. The professionals provided insight into our research and helped critique our work. …

Financial Accounting Case Studies, Porter May

Honors Theses

In this thesis, a series of case studies are presented, which were undertaken as part of the ACCY 420 course during the 2022-2023 academic year. The cases encompass a diverse range of subjects, including but not limited to Environmental Social Governance (ESG), audit risks, and tax planning strategies. Additionally, contemporary events such as the downfall of Silicon Valley Bank and the financial market crisis of 2008 were scrutinized. The studies involved both individual and collaborative efforts to gather substantial evidence. The first five cases concentrate on the analysis of Flowers Foods and its financial standing. A team of five students, …

Health, Politics, And Policy: Exploring The Interplay Of Health Status On Voting Behavior And Policy Knowledge Across Political Parties In The United States, Zoey Peters

Honors Theses

ABSTRACT

ZOEY LYNN PETERS: Health, Politics, and Policy: Exploring the Interplay of Health Status on Voting Behavior and Policy Knowledge Across Political Parties in the United States

(Under the direction of Dr. Hannah Allen)

Background. Citizens actively engaging with their politics and government is crucial for the survival of our democracy. Voting and policy knowledge are two significant indicators of citizen engagement and there are many factors that can affect whether people will vote or stay informed on relevant policy. The healthcare system in the United States is a constant topic of controversy in American politics and it impacts every …

Financial Accounting Case Studies, John Montgomery

Honors Theses

This thesis presents a compilation of case studies undertaken during the ACCY 420 course in the 2022-2023 academic year. These studies encompass a wide array of topics, including operational risk assessment, environmental social governance (ESG), audit risks, and tax planning, with a specific focus on 3D Systems Corporation. Alongside, they analyze recent events such as the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank and the more former Financial Crisis of 2008. These studies aimed to gather substantial evidence and conceptually help us to understand our specific company. The first five cases delve into the financials of 3D Systems Corporation. A team …

Navigating The Modern Accounting Landscape: Esg, Audit Risks, And Tax Planning, Bruce Buehler

Honors Theses

This thesis contains a collection of case studies completed while completing the ACCY 420 course in the 2022-2023 academic year. These cases cover a wide variety of topics, including but not limited to Environmental Social Governance (ESG), audit risks, and tax planning. Other studies included examining current events, such as the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank and the derailment of a Norfolk Southern freight train. These studies consisted of individual and group work, in order for substantial evidence to be obtained. Case 1 through Case 5 focuses on the analysis of Cadence Bank and their respective financials. A group …

An Examination Of The Accounting Profession In Relation To Socioeconomic Factors, Amelia Hunter

Honors Theses

This thesis contains 6 separate case studies that relate to accounting principles and relevant current topics that can affect the accounting industry. These case studies were assigned by Dr. Dickinson during the fall and spring semesters of the Honors Accountancy 420 course. During the fall semester, the class was divided into research groups and were each assigned a fortune 500 company that would be the subject of the case studies. My group was assigned to Flowers Foods, and we were given the opportunity to approach each case study as if the company was a client, and we were the accountants. …

A Collection Of Accounting Case Studies, Danielle Gonsoulin

Honors Theses

Over the course of a year, I performed case studies on various economic and financial topics and events. For the first half of the year, I worked in a group with three of my peers to develop audit, advisory, and tax plans for a publicly traded company named Agilysys. We evaluated economic conditions and the company’s financial and nonfinancial data to determine what areas both internally and externally the company can target in order to improve its operations. Once the four case studies were written and reviewed, we created a slideshow and presented our ideas on Zoom to a group …

Huic Purchasing Group Llc. Business Plan, Grant Hull

Honors Theses

This business plan investigates the feasibility and best strategy to start a dental group purchasing company in the market today. Methods used consisted of interviewing industry professionals (Dentists, suppliers, and executives in a similar market), and market research through public information and trends. The 70 total interviews not only helped verify market projections and social trends, but also verified potential client willingness to join and verified a position in the market. Through this study it was concluded that: There is limited competition in the dental Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) space; to enter the market in a cost-effective way it is …

Social Justice Education And The Ela Classroom: A Love Letter To My Future Teaching, Azurrea Curry

Honors Theses

Social justice education can be defined in part as the equitable treatment and care of all students, as all have the right to education. It requires that we examine oppression and unjust systems to develop awareness of injustice in our lives, institutions, and overall society. Social justice education aims to develop empathy and tools for activism in order to teach students (and teachers) how to radically and positively interrupt oppressive patterns and behaviors in the world around us. Social justice education must work co-curricularly with statewide standards. Furthermore, it must also be rooted in the personal reflection of educators as …

Structural And Blood Co-Factor Binding Studies Of A Red Algal Sulfated Galactan, Anderson R. Dewitt

Honors Theses

The red alga Botryocladia occidentalis presents three distinct fractions of sulfated polysaccharides. The elucidation of structures of various B. occidentalis fractions has been explored in prior research. In this study, the first fraction with the least sulfation underwent NMR structure elucidation. Additionally, this sulfated polysaccharide underwent analysis following chemical modifications. Findings have unveiled the presence of both 4-linked α- and 3-linked β-galactose units with the following chemical characteristics: over half of the total galactose units are unsulfated, the α-units are primarily 3,6-anhydrogalactose units either 2-O-methylated or 2-O-sulfated, and the β-galactose units can be 4-O-sulfated or 2,4-O-disulfated. Results from SPR-based assays …

In-Depth Examination Of Financial Accounting: Case Studies Analysis, Gurpreet Singh

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of different accounting case studies over 2 semesters. There are eleven cases that make up this thesis including:. There are various topics involved in all these cases including: 102 Minutes that Changed America, Design Your Life – Atlanta, Excel Crash Course, Financial Implications of Covid-19 on Pfizer, Important Influencer Interview – Vince Chamblee, Case Competition – Overview, Case Competition – Audit, Case Competition – Tax, Case Competition – Advisory, Case Competition – Risk, Case Competition – Presentation. All the cases over the two semesters proved to be a great learning for me. Case VI through …

“You Came Back To Me”: A Literary Analysis Exploring Themes Of Displacement And Homecoming In Toni Morrison’S Beloved And Homer’S Odyssey, Amya Franklin

Honors Theses

This thesis is a literary analysis of Toni Morrison’s Beloved and Homer’s Odyssey, using the themes of Beloved to inform the reading and thematic approach to the Odyssey. This work is a part of the larger conversation of how Black literary art adds to classical literature and the literary canon as a whole. This analysis is broken up into two major themes: homecoming and displacement. The creative and literary impact of Beloved redefines and highlights these themes within the Odyssey. This work highlights the conversation and interplay between Beloved and the Odyssey while also highlighting Beloved’s propensity …

Examining Practical Applications Of Accounting Principles, Jay Waits

Honors Theses

This essay provides a thorough analysis of business risk management, emphasizing the complex interactions between operational risk, cybersecurity risk, ESG (environmental, social, and governance) requirements, audit risk, disaster risk, and financial collapse prevention tactics. This study sheds light on the complex issues that contemporary businesses must deal with and provides guidance on practical risk-reduction strategies.

The analysis begins by scrutinizing operational risk, highlighting how internal processes, supply chain disruptions, and external factors can threaten organizational resilience. The essay emphasizes the significance of proactive risk identification, strong controls, and quick response mechanisms in ensuring company continuity by using real-world examples.

Subsequently, …

A Classic Problem: Engaging Secondary Students In Reading The Canon, Marika Hall

Honors Theses

Secondary English students often demonstrate difficulty in comprehending and finding relevancy in reading works of classic literature when the canon is taught in a prescriptive fashion, often further widening the gap between students who are considered smart enough to read classic literature and those deemed incapable. My hypothesis is that when used in a dialogic classroom, teaching challenging, classic texts in a facilitative manner can help bridge this classic literature gap while also encouraging diversity and supporting student learning. Under my clinical instructor’s recommendations and requirements in my student teaching, I designed a unit lesson plan focusing on Roald Dahl’s …

The Effects Of Acute Exercise On Retrieval-Induced Forgetting, Anna Katherine Pitts

Honors Theses

This research investigates the relationship between acute exercise on retrieval-induced forgetting. Retrieval-induced forgetting (RIF) is a type of active forgetting that occurs when recalling an item from memory leads to the concurrent forgetting of related items connected to the same memory. Inhibition has been theorized as a potential mechanism behind RIF. Additionally, previous studies have shown that acute exercise can contribute to and enhance cognitive inhibitory processes. Therefore, an exercise-RIF relationship is plausible because the mechanisms that influence RIF, inhibition, are also influenced by exercise. Due to this understanding, the present thesis aims to investigate that when acute vigorous-intensity exercise …

Two Districts, Five Miles Apart: A Comparative Analysis Of The Lauderdale County And The Meridian Public School Districts, Daneel Konnar

Honors Theses

K-12 public education in Mississippi has sparked much conversation and debate regarding the factors and forces that influence school performance on test scores, teacher pay and salaries, infrastructure, and student performance. Mississippi’s children deserve the best quality education and opportunities to grow into the best version of themselves. However, school districts across Mississippi within the same county are facing many disparities. The purpose of this study is to examine the disparities between the Meridian Public School District and Lauderdale County School District in Meridian. I interviewed seven school officials to gain perspective on the differences between the two school districts. …

Minimizing Patient Migration: Enhancing Safety And Comfort For Patients And Caregivers In Bedridden Care, Danielle Pasquini

Honors Theses

Biomedical engineering seniors at the University of Mississippi embark on a senior project aimed at addressing an unmet clinical need. Our team, consisting of Kelsie Hand, Christian Miller, and Danielle Pasquini, identified a prevalent issue of bedridden patients slipping down in bed, leading to increased repositioning by caregivers. This not only impacts patient comfort but also poses risks of complications such as pressure ulcers and caregiver injuries. In our efforts to tackle the issue of patient slippage among bedridden individuals, our team introduced a novel solution comprising a non-slip vest for patients and a corresponding non-slip sheet attachment. This integrated …

In-Depth Examination Of Financial Accounting: Case Studies Analysis, Gurpreet Singh

Honors Theses

This thesis is a collection of different accounting case studies over 2 semesters. There are eleven cases that make up this thesis including. There are various topics involved in all these cases including: 102 Minutes that Changed America, Design Your Life – Atlanta, Excel Crash Course, Financial Implications of Covid-19 on Pfizer, Important Influencer Interview – Vince Chamblee, Case Competition – Overview, Case Competition – Audit, Case Competition – Tax, Case Competition – Advisory, Case Competition – Risk, Case Competition – Presentation. All the cases over the two semesters proved to be a great learning for me. Case VI through …

Knowledge And Perceptions Of Pharmacogenomics Among Mississippi Pharmacists, Nicholas Dean

Honors Theses

Pharmacogenomics (PGx), an area of study that relates a patient’s genetics to the medicines they take, has been shown to be an effective alternative to trial-and-error prescribing. Despite the benefits pharmacogenomics may bring, pharmacists, while optimistic about the practice, appear to lack knowledge and access to other resources to bring PGx to the front lines of practice. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess Mississippi pharmacists’ knowledge and attitudes about PGx, readiness for practice of PGx, their education needs for PGx, their application of PGx in practice, and their perception of the ethics of PGx practice.

A cross-sectional …

Role Of Dunc-13 Isoforms In Alcohol Sensitivity In Drosophila, Makenzie Havard

Honors Theses

Functional alcohol tolerance is an adaptation made by the nervous system to high doses of alcohol, and is seen by a significant reduction in sensitivity to this drug. This tolerance is a significant contributing factor in the progression to Alcohol Use Disorders. A major goal of alcohol research is to understand how alcohol induces this tolerance. Dunc13 is a presynaptic active zone protein essential in synaptic vesicle docking and priming. Alcohol binds to the C1 domain of Dunc13 at physiological concentrations, which inhibits Dunc13 from binding Diacylglycerol. This inhibition is predicted to reduce Dunc13 activity and presynaptic activity. Yet, genetically …

An Overview Of The Product Development Process For A Lounging Grove Chair: The Rebel Lounge, Gracey Massengill

Honors Theses

This report focuses on the process of completing my senior capstone project for the Center for Manufacturing Excellence with my teammates, Andrew Brady, Carter Doss, Brooke Grissinger, and Karson Wardell. It explains the development, design and manufacturing of the Rebel Lounge Chair, a comfortable, portable and versatile chair made with the University of Mississippi Grove in mind and the prospective customers that would purchase such a chair. The report describes the phases of brainstorming, market research, prototyping, manufacturing process development, and accounting analysis that the Rebel Lounge capstone team went through to create their product.

Due to out-of-the-box brainstorming and …

Spin Coating Multilayer Polymer Films To Improve The Consistency And Longevity Of Interval Drug Release, Katherine Nevils

Honors Theses

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a clinical diagnosis for patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). An inadequate response to the dosage or duration of antidepressant medication can lead to the diagnosis of TRD. This diagnosis is common in up to 50% of patients with MDD following treatment. Microdosing of classical psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) has been shown to have positive cognitive and therapeutic effects on patients with TRD. However, issues of patient compliance to the complex regimen and abuse/diversion of the schedule I controlled substances remain unresolved. The goal of this project is to create an implantable, …

Breaking The Green Ceiling: A Study On The Impact Of State Legislatures' Gender Representation On The Implementation Of Environmental Policy, Isabelle Mcgill

Honors Theses

As the significance of climate change and other environmental issues escalates, it becomes imperative for lawmakers to address these pressing challenges. At the same time, our country is slowly electing more women to office, and legislatures are becoming more representative of their constituencies. In my research, I investigate whether greater gender representation influences the adoption of environmental policies in the context of U.S. state legislatures. The study begins by examining descriptive representation and its relationship to substantive representation, highlighting how the presence of women in legislative offices can impact policy outcomes. Drawing on research that shows a gender gap between …