Digital Commons Network^™

Self-Pollinated Rhizomatous Tall Fescue, Keith Rincker

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Inertial Navigation System, Michael Calabrese Jr., David Engblom, Aaron Fleckenstein

Honors Theses

Accelerometer-based inertial navigation systems present an inexpensive alternative to gyroscope and global positioning navigation systems. An array of accelerometers comprises the basic design of the inertial navigation system. The position of the device can be continuously updated based on the previous device location and measurements of the device acceleration. There are fewer moving parts in an accelerometer-based system than in a gyroscopic device, and it is free of the earth bound constraints of a global positioning system. The prototype wirelessly interfaces with a data-collection system, which processes the data and provides a graphical display of the trajectory traveled.

Two accelerometer …

Fahrenheit 451: A Teacher's Guide, Jaclyn Shurmack

Honors Theses

This website is a resource for teachers to reference in order to help them understand and teach various aspects of Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. First, Fahrenheit 451'is a great book to teach in the classroom. It presents many ideas that will cause students to think about the world around them. Some of these ideas include thinking on one's own and also questioning information that is presented to students. One aspect of Ray Brabury's Fahrenheit 451 looks at the idea of censorship in the world- In this futuristic tale, boob are burned rather than read and the censorship of various …

Measuring The Expression Of Hypovirulence In A Segregating Population Of Bc2f2 Castanea Dentata Hybrids, Lisa Michelle Worthen

Honors Theses

The American chestnut tree (Castanea dentata) was reduced from an important canopy hardwood to an understory shrub by the chestnut blight fungus (Cryphonectria parasitica). Hypovirulence, a phenomenon whereby Cryphonectria parasitica is weakened in its ability to incite chestnut blight, is caused by doublestranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules of viral origin in the cytoplasm of the fungus.Hypovirulence serves as a biological control of C. parasitica in Europe and small, isolated areas in North America, but has not been an effective, widespread biological control in North America. It has been hypothesized that the moderately higher levels of host resistance of the European chestnut …

An Interview With Wendell Berry, Birkin Gilmore

Honors Theses

In choosing which questions to ask of Mr. Berry, I was interested in the environment, physical and spiritual, that gives rise to the poems. The Sabbath poems, for instance, come from the author's meditations as he passes through places and spaces of time where, as Mr. Berry has written, "the heart and mind are open and aware." As Mr. Berry is intimately concerned with cultivating land, so these are moments to be cultivated whose fruits are poems. I am interested in how the place in which the poems are written participates in their creation. If we are to keep alive …

Teaching Pronunciation In High School Spanish Classes: A Focus On Vowels, Ellen Waisanen

Honors Theses

With the growing use of Spanish in the United States, it is increasingly valuable to have a knowledge of the language. Accurate pronunciation is an integral component of effectively speaking Spanish and attaining native-like mastery of the language, yet it is neglected by many high school teachers. For this reason, I chose to use my honors thesis project to emphasize accurate pronunciation and create a resource for teaching it more thoroughly. With this collection of notes and exercises, I hope to provide a foundation for high school Spanish teachers to highlight pronunciation in their classes. More specifically, I have focused …

Developmental Systems Theory: A Search For Human Nature, Erin Kenzie

Honors Theses

When trying to identify the driving forces behind the development of traits, 'nature' and 'nurture' are presented as the sole answers to a seemingly inevitable philosophical question. There must be reasons behind why an individual has a certain trait, so the rhetoric goes, and the line of reasoning has to go in one of two directions. Either factors in the individual's environment - such as parental care or life experience - are responsible, or the trait is an immutable characteristic of the individual's biological makeup. Although this dichotomy has permeated the public consciousness, it is dismissed by those who study …

Guest-Host Chemistry Of P-Sulfonatocalix[6]Arene And Nizatidine, Galia Debelouchina

Honors Theses

This work investigates the guest-host chemistry in water of p-sulfonatocalix[6]arene and a number of guests related to the amino acids arginine and lysine. Two questions are particularly important: what are the interactions that drive guest-host binding and what is the role of the solvent. The answers to these questions are investigated with isothermal titration calorimetry (lTC), which gives K, ?H, and ?S, and pressure perturbation calorimetry (PPC), which allows the calculation of the thermal coefficient of expansion ? and relating it to a molecule's structure-breaking or structure-making properties. The ITC data suggests that hydrogen bonding and charge-charge interactions are the …

Intersecting Segments Of The Participatory Puzzle, Danielle Diers

Honors Theses

An engaged and active citizenry is integral to the American democracy. Normally when political participation is discussed, a heavy emphasis is placed on voting in national elections. While this is an important element of politics, it is but one ingredient. It is important to view participation also at the community level, for localities comprise the fabric of America. The late philosopher and educator, John Dewey, believed that democracy not only began at home, but that its home was in the neighborly community (Putnam, 2000). This exemplifies the American political system in that there exist numerous forms of participation that have …

The Influence Of J.R.R. Tolkien On Popular Culture, Michael A. Hall

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Synthesis Of Biomimetic Tungsten And Molybdenum Complexes, John Sterling Cole Iii

Honors Theses

The synthesis of novel biomimetic molybdenum and tungsten compounds that are potential model complexes for molybdenum and tungsten oxidase enzymes is being pursued. Model complexes such as these provide a better understanding of the basic chemistry of a metal center in an environment similar to that found in particular enzyme active sites. This understanding provides a good starting point for biologists or biochemists studying those biological systems. The first target complex will incorporate a tetradentate-S4 ligand (L) that features two biphenyl-S2 fragments joined by a propyl linker. The second target complex will incorporate a bidentate ligand (L') with a singly …

Spectacle And Distortion: The Anti-Globalization Movement On Television News, Raphi Rechitsky

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Tracking And Racialization In Undergraduate Multicultural Requirements, Karan Hustedt

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

Mechanical Manipulation Of Facial Expressions As Means Of Inducement, Suppression, And Feedback Of Emotional States, Phillip D. Magerkurth

Honors Theses

This paper hypothesizes that tape placed strategically upon the face will provide feedback to the users emotional state by giving feedback to muscle tension. It is also hypothesized that females will greater utilize the feedback than males. Participants in the experiment were 30 college students (18 males and 12 females). Participants were randomly selected to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group had a Band-Aid placed at the outer eyebrow toward the upper ear, while the control group had a Band-Aid placed at a neural location on the upper forehead. Although there was no statistical significance between groups …

The Servicemen's Readjustment Act Of 1944: The History, People, And Effects On Minorities, Peter R. Conrad

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

John Stuart Mill's Conflicting Theories In Relationship With Elected Officials In The United States Government, Frederick Murphy

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Constitutionality Of Same Sex Marriage, Brandy Raley

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The True Patron Of Ireland : Saint Brigit And The Rise Of Celtic Christianity, Autumn Dolan

Honors Theses

When Saint Patrick landed in Ireland in 432 AD, history says that he brought Christianity to the Irish. In actuality, though, Patrick's arrival was the beginning of a religious struggle between Rome and Ireland. Patrick's Church was based on Roman traditions and his mission in Ireland was not just to defeat paganism, but to intercede in the foundations of an already developing Celtic Church. To challenge Patrick and his Roman ways, Ireland exalted a saint of its own. Saint Brigit ( 452-525 AD) and the characteristics she represented in Irish hagiography clearly illustrated the ideal Irish saint. Ireland's reverence for …

Macrofungi Of The Tennessee River Gorge, William D. Starrett

Honors Theses

Representative macro fungi of the Tennessee River Gorge were collected on the Tennessee River Gorge Trust (TRGT) property during 18 forays I conducted fom May to November 2004. This dramatically added to the baseline data on the macrofungi of the TRGT by adding 15 orders, 34 families, and 138 species to the existing list. These data were recorded in the herbarium of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga database. I converted the University's File Maker Pro fungi database into Microsoft Excel and Access, which allows it to be processed for introduction into the National Biological Information Infrastructure and onto the …

Relative Difference Sets In 2-Groups : A Group Cohomological Viewpoint, Brian Wyman

Honors Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Instant Messenger On The Undergraduate Experience, Kimberly Schaefer

Honors Theses

The use of Instant Messenger (IM) by American undergraduate students has grown rapidly over the past decade. As a result, IM has come to play an important role in the collegiate experience and daily life of today's undergraduate students. This study explores the effects of IM's growing popularity upon the academic efforts, relationships, and daily living habits of undergraduate students through an analysis of data obtained from surveys and focus groups at a small private university. The research concludes that students perceive IM to be a distraction, decreasing productivity; however, these disadvantages do not affect student IM-use, and IM is …

Ecological Niching In An Interactive Simulation, Ryan T. Webb

Honors Theses

Our goal is to create a simulation platform for the study of ecological niching that can be extended to suit the needs of biological research. Ecological niching and the accompanying evolutionary process of speciation are difficult to observe in situ, which makes them prime candidates for study via the methods of computer simulation. To this end, we have created an interactive, real-time ecosystem simulation based on the standard predator/prey interaction model, in which interacting populations of organisms exhibit swarming behavior. We hope to provide the basic simulation components necessary to bring about niching and speciation, that may be extended for …

Eclipse, Jennifer Hall

Honors Theses

A collection of poems.

Running Out Of Options: An Investigation Of Stock-Based Compensation, Mark A. Powell

Honors Theses

One of the most heated debates witnessed by the accounting industry was rekindled at the dawn of the new millennium, a resurgence of an issue discussed from the early 1990s. Brought to new light, in part by the corporate debacles of Enron and WorldCom (among others), the concern of expensing employee stock options has taken a forefront in the halls of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB). Not only is the accounting profession facing a difficult polarization of ideas as to how to appropriately account for stock options, but Congress has also joined in the discussion and has threatened intervention …

Marketing Research For Western's Panhellenic Council, Julia Renee Williams

Honors Theses

The Greek system began at Western Michigan University in 1916 with debate societies. These organizations were recognized as national organizations in the 1950s. In recent years, the Greek system at Western Michigan University has seen a decline in its membership, as well as in the number of students participating in the recruitment process. In 1997 there were 28 social Greek organizations, but as of spring 2005, there are 23. With interest diminishing, a marketing research project was conducted to determine why people are no longer interested in women's fraternities and what might draw people to them. A series of 70 …

Art Is Dead?: A Criticial Analysis Of Arthur Danto's End Of Art Theory, Laura M. Ginn

Honors Theses

The idea of art as a reductive process is not new within the art world. In 1953, Robert Rauschenberg created the piece "Erased DeKooning" for which he erased a painting by DeKooning and displayed the end product (a blank canvas). The author found herself considering the way in which art has changed over the course of the twentieth century. The 20th century could be viewed as a time in which the main purpose of art was to destroy all artistic conventions and redefine art. Some would say art has come out unfocused and without a purpose. The author explores the …

Young Singles: A Look At The Grocery Shopping Preferences Of A Unique And Underestimated Market, Survey & Analysis, Kelley Steinhofer

Honors Theses

Single person households make up a substantial percentage of the total U.S population. More than 102 million people aged 15 and over were not married in 2003. On a household basis, 48.5% of U.S. households were not headed by married couples. Some of these households are "nonfamily" which excludes single parent households according to U.S. Census Bureau definitions. Most studies that examine a specific demographic group have focused on households with children and mature consumers because their purchasing behaviors are highly predictable and easily obtainable. Very little research currently exists on the market of young, single adult consumers. This study …

Image Restoration And The "Black Sox" Scandal Of 1919: Corrective Action As An Ideal Image Restoration Model For Professional Baseball, Zachary J. Walsh

Honors Theses

After the previously indomitable Chicago White Sox lost the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds, speculations of foul play abounded. With each suspicious game, the notion of a possible conspiracy to throw the Series became more widespread, reaching its pinnacle when the impossible happened and the Chicago defeat became official (Asinof, 1963). Finding it necessary to address the concerns of the public, Chicago White Sox President Charles A. Comiskey promptly positioned himself as spokesperson for his club. He immediately began to manage the pending crisis through public statements made via media outlets, primarily newspapers. At this point, the allegations …

Changes In Nursing Student Attitudes Toward Mental Illness, Jared Rogge

Honors Theses

People who suffer from mental illness comprise a highly vulnerable population, and encounter adversity from two directions. Not only do they have to contend with their illness and the management of its symptoms, but they also have to brace themselves against the societal backlash and devaluation produced by the stigma that accompanies mental illness. Stigmatization can drastically alter the life chances of individuals with mental illness and have negative outcomes in regards to employment, income (Markowitz, 1998), social integration(Chan, 2004), self esteem(Blankertz, 2001), health care, insurance, and access to justice (Sayce, 1998.)

The Rhetoric Of Pedagogy And The Pedagogy Of Rhetoric, Jennifer G. Moore

Honors Theses

"There is a serious crisis in education. Students often do not want to learn and teachers do not want to teach. More than ever before in the recent history of this nation, educators are compelled to confront the biases that have shaped teaching practices in our society and to create new ways of knowing, different for the sharing of knowledge (hooks 12)."

Drawing from the work of such writers as bell books, Paolo Friere, and Gilles Deleuze, this thesis explores limitations and constraints of traditional pedagogy, then brings this critique to bear upon the traditional pedagogy of rhetoric. Drawing from …