Digital Commons Network^™

An Analysis Of Factors Associated With Advancement Of Selected High School Administrators In Illinois, Janice Mintel Jack

Masters Theses

This study was designed to research and statistically assess intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with advancement of secondary level administrators, comparing males with females. Administrators from randomly selected high schools in Illinois were surveyed. The survey sought demographic information and reactions to attitudinal statements measured on a Likert scale. An evaluation of demographic information revealed that as groups, men and women administrators are different. T-test analyses of intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with administrative advancement disclosed that no statistical significant differences exist between males and females. Based on this study, recommendations are made which may prove useful in further research …

Perceptions Of Superintendents, Principals, And Teachers Concerning The Effectiveness Of Mid-Illinois Educational Service Center #15, Donald R. Helm

Masters Theses

Educational Service Centers were established throughout Illinois by the State Board of Education as a result of the passage of Senate Bill 730 in 1985. The purpose of this field study was to determine the perceived effectiveness of programs and services provided by Mid-Illinois Educational Service Center #15 from superintendents', principals', and teachers' perspectives. Superintendents, principals, and randomly selected teachers in public school districts serviced by Educational Service Center #15 were given a questionnaire to determine their perceptions about the quality of the service they had received. Interviews with the director of Educational Service Center #15 and a review of …

A Study Of Thirty-Three Rural Southern Illinois Elementary School Districts' Medication Policies, Allen Bigley

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field study was to determine how thirty-three selected rural elementary (K-8) districts in Southern Illinois regulate the administration of medication to students in the absence of both the superintendent and school nurse. This was accomplished by sending a questionnaire to each of the school districts. A review of the literature and research was conducted to identify policies and procedures that should be included in all medication policies. Policies and procedures commonly found missing in many districts' medication policies were identified. Data received were analyzed through the use of tables to identify policies and procedures currently being …

"Easy Or Hard" The Mentality Of Survival: The Gi In Europe In World War Two, Brian R. Bowen

Masters Theses

An oral history compiled from recollections of fourteen combat veterans, documented by over forty hours of tape-recorded interviews, the paper recreates GIs' mentality upon entering combat. The formation of the collective mentality is examined by exploring the attitudes, motivations, and historical circumstances determining thought and actions of these reluctant, yet dedicated soldiers. The collective mentality, defined as the way of thinking allowing the majority to best cope with their predicament, answers why men fought and how they persevered once in combat. Explaining sustained combat performance the paper proves how the collective mentality gave Gls the will and ability to withstand …

An Analysis Of Employee Print Media Content, Michelle M. Accardi

Masters Theses

This content analysis studies an area that has had limited research: university print media. University print media helps maintain communication between management and employees. Past research links three communication categories together: organizing, relationship and change. Organizing is found to be the dominant content category in business newsletters, according to past research.

The uses and gratifications theory, exchange theory and structural-functional theory all play an integral part in the communication process. Continuous two-way comunication between management and each public can lead to a successful organization. Internal communication, wants vs. needs, and finding common ground are additional variables that determine the effect …

Perceptual Ratings Regarding Individuals With High Functioning Autism, Melanie A. Manhart

Masters Theses

A perceptual rating scale evaluating appropriateness/inappropriateness of eight communicative behaviors was designed to determine if the general population perceives adult individuals with high functioning autism as different. In addition, the rating scale results were examined to determine which of the eight communicative characteristics were perceived as most different. The results were also evaluated to determine if a rating difference between genders existed.

The subjects consisted of 453 college students who viewed videotaped interviews with five individuals, two considered "normal" and three diagnosed with high functioning autism who had received varying levels of remediation. After viewing each interview, subjects rated the …

I.A. Richards' Triangle Of Meaning Compared And Contrasted With The Rhetoric Of The Holy Bible, Gregory L. Swango

Masters Theses

It is the Bible's claim to be the inspired word of God. The message from the Scriptures has persuaded millions: from the shepherd of the first century to the business person of our present age. The words chosen, the genres used, and the forms of verbal support employed are prodigious in every way. The rhetorician and linguist, I. A. Richards, has written and spoken on how words come to have meaning, how they are used in context, and how they are used metaphorically. He has developed his ideas through a model called the triangle of meaning. There is justification for …

The Relationship Between Lifespan And Reproduction In The Giant Waterbug (Belostoma Flumineum), Wendy Nixdorf

Masters Theses

The evolutionary significance of senescence and death is poorly understood. Life history theory suggests that the allocation of energy to growth or reproduction is necessarily associated with a decrease in energy available for maintenance of the soma. This study attempted to determine if an investment in reproduction would decrease longevity in the giant waterbug (Belostoma flumineum). Male and female waterbugs were collected from the field as last instar stage nymphs and maintained under controlled laboratory conditions. Individuals were randomly assigned to mating effort treatments, (virgins or breeders with breeding efforts ranging from 1 to >5 times). Following breeding, …

Synthesis And Characterization Of Transition Metal Polypyridyl Complexes With A Novel 1,10-Phenanthropteridinedione Ligand, Huakai Huang

Masters Theses

A new alloxazine ligand (1; "Pptd"), produced by the condensation of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione with 5,6-diamino-1,3-dimethyluracil, and several transition metal complexes containing this ligand, have been synthesized. The Pptd ligands attach to Ru(II), Co(II), or Re(I) metal centers through the phenanthroline linkage to form stable polypyridyl complexes. The spectral and the electrochemical characterization of Pptd complexes of Ru(II), Co(II), and Re(I) is presented.

Pptd is capable of being reduced (across the pyrazine nitrogens) by two H-atoms. When coordinated to Ru(II), Pptd forms stable complexes which retain the robust characteristics and electrochemical activity of other Ru(II) polypyridyl species. In addition, Ru(II) complexes of …

Utilization Of Community Based Health Care Services By The Well Elderly, Rachelle Hesselberg, Kristen Wagner, Yolanda Zimmerman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if the elderly used community based health care services, to which they had been referred, following discharge from an acute hospital stay. The sample consisted of twenty elderly recruited from various senior centers in the West Michigan area. Of the respondents surveyed, 18 out of 20 were Caucasian. The average age of respondents was 73 years old. Of the services surveyed, all were under utilized by our sample except those in the clinic. An 18-item questionnaire was developed and distributed to the participants. Results from the data implied that it was more …

Physical Therapists' Knowledge And Perceptions Of Patient Care Team Meeting Styles In The Inpatient Rehabilitation Setting, Neisha Dickman, Christine Ritsema, Brenda Warner

Masters Theses

This study was designed to analyze what types of team meetings are being utilized for patient care in the inpatient rehabilitation setting. It was also designed to look at physical therapists' knowledge of the criteria that differentiates the interdisciplinary team approach from the multidisciplinary team approach. A perceptual questionnaire was sent to physical therapists involved in the inpatient rehabilitation setting in the State of Michigan. Only 1.7% of the physical therapists are involved in a true interdisciplinary team. The other respondents reported that their teams have some characteristics of both the interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary team approach. However, when asked what …

Multicultural Art Across The Curriculum, Yvonne J. Delamar

Masters Theses

The arts, by nature, can lend themselves as an essential unifying force in the multicultural curricular development in our increasingly diverse classrooms. A compilation of research and investigation is presented for teaching multicultural art throughout the curriculum. The finished project includes a model for teaching multicultural art across the curriculum and a bibliography of resources.

Effects Of Nurse Extern Programs On Student Nurse Performance, Lola A. Coke

Masters Theses

This study was done to determine if summer nurse extern programs increased the nursing performance of student nurses. The conceptual framework for the study was developed from Benner's (1984) "From Novice to Expert". Forty-five students from six hospital based nurse extern programs in Southwestern Michigan participated in the study. A pretest-posttest design was used. Schwirian's (1978) Six Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance was used to measure six nursing performance sub scales: leadership, critical care, professional development, teaching/collaboration, planning/evaluation, and interpersonal relations/communication. Frequency and quality scores were obtained for each behavior. It was hypothesized that an increase in both frequency and …

Health Value And Health Locus Of Control: Impact Upon Compliance In Cardiac Patients, Laura C. Wightman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of an individual's locus of control and health value to compliance to the prescribed rehabilitation regimen among post myocardial infarction and post cardiac surgery patients. Forty subjects were used in an ex post facto research design. The Multidimensional Locus of Control scale, the Value Survey, and a demographic data instrument were administered 1 to 2 days prior to discharge from the hospital. Thirty days after discharge the subjects completed the Health Behavior Scale.; It was hypothesized that male cardiac patients with an internal locus of control were more compliant to …

Relationships Between Caregiver Satisfaction With Hospice Nursing Care And Selected Demographic Variables, Kathleen F. Nyeste

Masters Theses

A descriptive correlational retrospective survey of caregivers of hospice patients was used to determine the degree of caregiver satisfaction with hospice nursing care and to examine the relationship between satisfaction with nursing care and selected caregiver demographic variables. A random sample of 180 caregivers from 12 randomly selected home based hospices in Michigan's lower peninsula was surveyed utilizing the Revised La Monica/Oberst Patient Satisfaction Scale and a Caregiver Demographic Sheet. Response rate was 63% (N = 114) with 56% (N = 100) of forms usable for data analysis.; The mean satisfaction score was 332 (possible range 51 to 357), indicating …

Maternal Adjustment To Premature Birth: Utilizing The Roy Adaptation Model As A Theoretical Framework, Ivy Razmus

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether the adjustment for primiparous mothers of preterm infants was less positive than for primiparous mothers of term infants utilizing the Roy Adaptation Model as a conceptual framework. This secondary analysis utilized data from a larger longitudinal study. The data was collected at three months post birth in the homes of the mothers. The sample consisted of 55 preterm and 46 full term mothers. The Affects Balance Scale (Derogatis, 1983) was used to measure adjustment. A significant difference was found between preterm and full term mothers on the Positive Affects Scale and …

Relationship Of Patient Age To Amount Of Postoperative Analgesic Prescribed And Administered, Beth Lee Sendre

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if elderly patients receive less analgesic than younger patients postoperatively and if that reduction in analgesia results from the physician's order, the administration, or both. Hospital records of 161 females with abdominal surgery were reviewed to collect data. The sample was divided into 6 age groups. The findings did not support with increased age from 25 years, less analgesic medication was prescribed for the first and second 24 hour period postoperatively (p {dollar}>{dollar}.05). The findings indicate, as age increased from 25 years, less analgesic medication was administered in the first 24 …

The Portrayal Of Men In Advertising In Specific Women's Magazines, Suzanne E. Fickes

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Children Learning To Write: A Progression Through Predictable Stages, Shirley D. Vestal

Masters Theses

A first-grade teacher documents her students' progression through predictable stages as they learn to write: distinct units of scribbling and/or ground line and profile in drawing, letters, words, sentences, story structure (character, setting, problem, solving the problem, and ending the story/telling how the characters felt), and conventions (capital letters, punctuation, and conventional spelling).

Criteria based on readability at each stage by a knowledgeable and sensitive reader are an important aspect of this study.

The class writes every day using a five-day story format:

Day One: Character Pink paper

Day Two: Setting Blue paper

Day Three: Problem Yellow paper

Day Four: …

Evaluations Of Superintendents In Central Illinois As Perceived By Presidents Of Boards Of Education, Ronald E. Black

Masters Theses

This study examined the perceptions board presidents had toward the processes, procedures, and methods used by their boards of education to evaluate their superintendents. Data were obtained from a survey sent to the board presidents of 66 school districts in Central Illinois. Eighty-five percent of the boards of education used a formal written process to evaluate their superintendents. Nearly 92% of the presidents reported satisfaction with this process. The most popular formal methods were evaluations by goals and objectives and checklists. The major reason cited by board presidents for holding evaluations was to identify areas in which their superintendents needed …

Investigation Of The Correlation Between The Tech Prep Initiative And The Restructuring Of Curriculum In Selected Illinois High Schools, Sandra K. Ward

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between the Illinois Tech Prep Initiative and the restructuring of high school curriculum in Illinois. Tech Prep is a structured sequential program which emphasizes continuity in learning, integration of academics and vocational studies with technology, context-based teaching, and completion of the program with an associate degree.

This study examined the scope and degree which Tech Prep has influenced school districts to create new applied courses, implement new applied methods of teaching, and institute a new focus on technology. A questionnaire was mailed to principals of randomly selected high schools in …

An Empirical Analysis Of The Recent Decline Of Union Membership In The United States, Mojgan Tajbakhsh Izadi

Masters Theses

The union membership in the United States has declined since 1970 and reached less than 14 percent of labor force in 1989. A number of studies have been conducted to examine the causes of decline in union membership. Among researchers nearly all believed that structural change in the United States economy plays an important role. The theories of managerial opposition and substitution of government and employers for unions were also supported by many researchers. This study examined the effect of the number of female and part-time workers from the labor force as a measure for structural change in the economy. …

Locus Of Control And Student Leaders: Perceptions Of Leadership Traits, Maggie Sullivan

Masters Theses

Leadership is a multi-faceted phenomena that has been the object of studies throughout the 20th century. Locus of Control has been a focal point for scientific research over the past thirty years. This study examines locus of control among college student leaders. The purpose of the study was to determine if leaders with different loci of control identify different traits as important to leadership. Three hundred surveys were distributed to executive officers of student organizations at Eastern Illinois University. One-hundred thirty-five surveys were returned for a response rate of 45 percent. Results indicated that locus of control did not affect …

Good Grief! Coping With Death And Dying In A Hospice Situation, Pegg Warnick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this qualitative study is to discover and examine the coping strategies concerning death and dying from the perspectives of hospice patients and hospice volunteers. A review of applicable literature, informal but structured interviews and participant observation are procedures for the study. The focus of the study lies in three areas: what are the internal attributes used to cope?; what are the external support systems used to cope? and, what are the adjustments in personal goals? Research for this study was patterned after Hegge's study (1991) who surveyed the coping strategies of the recently widowed elderly. The instruments …

Customer Satisfaction Among Cable Tv Subscribers: A Case Study Of Tci Of Illinois, Inc., Gail M. Gilliland

Masters Theses

This study gauges customer satisfaction among subscribers of TCI of Illinois, Inc., cable company. Two research questions were formulated in order to determine the customer satisfaction levels: "Can a satisfaction instrument be generated to measure customer satisfaction among cable subscribers?" and "What are the levels of customer satisfaction among TCI of Illinois, Inc., subscribers?" Data was obtained from personal, mail and telephone surveying of a 10% random sample of Charleston cable television subscribers. The results indicate that a reliable and valid measuring device was generated and 39.5% of the respondents were satisfied with TCI overall.

The Quest In Lao Tzu And William Wordsworth For Original Creative Power, Yue Xing

Masters Theses

My thesis focuses on a comparative study of Lao Tzu and Wordsworth concerning their quest for original creative power. Lao Tzu advocates Tao and reveals it as a way to eternity. Wordsworth calls for a return to nature and intends to create ever-lasting poetry. Despite their entirely different cultural backgrounds and a time span of more than two thousand years between them, both figures adopt a similar way of reversion whose key lies in the effort to move away from artificial human learning.

Submissiveness embodies the whole application of Lao Tzu's philosophy in the human world. It forms a contrast …

Comparison Of The Selection Process For International Special Olympics And Olympic Track & Field Athletes In The Great Lakes Region, Lisa M. Billman

Masters Theses

The purposes of this study were to determine if the selection process used to choose track and field athletes for the International Special Olympics Games follows the same guidelines as those of the Olympics and to determine if three groups (i.e. Special Olympics area directors, undergraduate students, and adapted physical education professionals) view the best athletic performance as the foremost criterion for advancement to Special Olympics international competition.

A four part questionnaire was developed to determine knowledge regarding the purpose of Special Olympics and attitudes of Special Olympics area directors, adapted physical education professionals, and undergraduate students regarding the selection …

Effects Of Information And Physical Positioning On Attitudes Toward An Individual Who Is Nonspeaking And Physically Disabled, Paige M. Lepak

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effects of printed information and four physical positions in space on attitudes of individuals who are nondisabled toward a person who is nonspeaking with severe physical disabilities. Employing a 4 (positions in space) X 2 (presence/absence of information) factorial design, subjects were presented with four photographs depicting a male who is both physically disabled and nonspeaking having a communicative interaction with a male who is nondisabled. Subjects in Condition 1 viewed 4 photographs depicting the individual who is nonspeaking sitting in a chair; Condition 2 subjects viewed photographs of the individual sitting in a wheelchair; Condition …

The Multiple Voices Of Frederick Douglass, Gesthemane Vasiliadou

Masters Theses

In this rhetorical analysis of Frederick Douglass' style, I argue that the power of his language comes from the multiplicity of voices arising from his work. I specifically concentrate on the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave, Written by Himself (1845), as well as on some of the speeches he delivered soon after the book was published.

Coming from a different culture, I was intrigued by my reaction to Douglass' writing style. I find him a writer with very strong rhetorical skills which have a tremendous appeal to any reader. My personal response explores the reasons …

Superintendent Evaluations: Superintendent And Board President Perspectives, W. Robert O'Dell

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field experience was to examine the formal evaluation process of superintendents from the perspective of superintendents and school board presidents. A survey of 72 public school district superintendents and board presidents in six counties in Southern Illinois was conducted. Those surveyed were asked to respond to questions concerning the evaluation instrument itself, the frequency and purpose of the evaluation, and criteria used to evaluate the superintendent.

In addition, a review of current literature associated with superintendent evaluations was presented. Included in the review were articles related to the importance of a good evaluation procedure to both …