Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Alcohol And Stress On Measures Of Depression And Anxiety Among College Students, Jeffrey F. Porter

Masters Theses

In clinical literature regarding the effects of regular alcohol use, psychological benefits of moderate consumption have been suggested (Neff & Husaini, 1982; Neff, 1984; Neff & Husaini, 1985; Neff, 1985; Neff, 1986; Neff, 1993, Lipton, 1994). Despite the diverse groups with which this theory has been examined, no published studies have lookeq specifically at the high-risk group of college undergraduates. Subjects were surveyed to assess their typical drinking behavior, the number of stressful events they had experienced within the past 12 months, their perceived social support, and depressive and anxiety symptoms they experienced within the seven days leading up to …

Geographic Information Systems In High School Geography Education: A Feasibility Study, C. Sonia Wardley

Masters Theses

This research focused on three aspects of the integration of GIS into the high school curriculum. Firstly, the investigation strove to demonstrate how GIS could enrich the high school geography curriculum in Michigan. Secondly, GIS software programs were evaluated for suitability using three techniques, and thirdly, the study area high schools were assessed for their technological capabilities relative to GIS.

The pedagogical and cognitive benefits of using GIS as a tool were established _ from the pertinent literature and the feasibility of incorporating GIS into the curriculum was examined with the reference to the Michigan geography content standards and benchmarks. …

Diversity And Spatial Structure Of Revitalization In The Vine Neighborhood In Kalamazoo, Michigan: 1980-1990, Lotta M. Jarnefelt-Burns

Masters Theses

Neighborhood revitalization, a process of turning an old, often run-down urban neighborhood into a fashionable and attractive place to live, has been studied in major cities in Europe, Australia and the United States. This process is a controversial combination of various social and economic changes since the late 1960s, and its magnitude and parameters have been disputed. This thesis zeroes in on one neighborhood that appears to be revitalizing, the Vine neighborhood in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The census data from 1980 and 1990 generally conflict with the revitalizing image of the area. In order to address this conflict, this research analyses …

Remote Sensing Of Freshwater Coastal Wetland Changes In Tuscola County, Michigan: An Evaluation Of Noaa’S C-Cap Program, Theodore S. Krumbach

Masters Theses

Coastal wetland protection and monitoring in the United States is becoming an increasingly important issue. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Change Analysis Program (C-CAP) has been developed to provide a protocol for satellite monitoring of the coastal regions of the United States. This research evaluated the effectiveness of the C-CAP program when being applied to a freshwater Great Lakes ecosystem in the Saginaw Bay region by investigating four components of the protocol: (1) suitable classification methodology, (2) suitable change detection logic, (3) accuracy assessment, and (4) source of digital data. Using two dates of satellite imagery, it was …

Use Of The Internet Connection In Selected Illinois Schools, Dean Keller

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the practice of school districts connecting to the internet within the Southern Illinois Instructional Technology Association. The research questions for this study were: (a) Should an internet connection be initiated, continued, improved, or terminated? (b) To what extent is connecting to the internet cost effective for schools? (c) To what extent do increased program expenditures increase the use of the internet connection by staff and students? (d) To what extent does the program achieve its intended objectives?

The review of literature indicated that school districts can effectively use an internet connection as …

A Monte Carlo Model Of Uncertainty In A Deterministic Hazardous Waste Transportation Risk Assessment, Michael A. Cowen

Masters Theses

This thesis is aimed at developing and applying advanced modeling tools in the prediction of risk to the general public from transportation of chemical waste on public highways. The modeling tools developed can then be used to compare alternative waste management scenarios. The application considered is related to the transport of hazardous waste generated by the United States Department of Energy (DOE) to current treatment, storage, and disposal facilities. DOE is currently considering four different scenarios.

The application considered can be more specifically defined as an analysis of the risk to the general public from transporting the 63 shipments of …

A Study Of The Lichens At Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois, Eric B. Grunder

Masters Theses

In 1971, a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University, James E. Wiedman, studied the lichen flora of Rocky Branch Nature Preserve, Clark County, Illinois. During his study he collected, identified, and recorded a total of 64 lichen species. Since 1971, Rocky Branch Nature Preserve has experienced a dramatic increase in use by people and a concomittant decline in the quality of lichen habitats. In order to assess the decline of suitable lichen habitats and the reduction of lichen species a second study of the lichens at Rocky Branch Nature Preserve was undertaken. As part of this study, ten habitat sites …

The Relationship Of Crime Patterns To Social And Ecological Conditions In Grand Rapids, Michigan: 1980-1990, Christine L. Mcgavin

Masters Theses

The spatial distribution of the relationship between crime rates and urban ecology in Grand Rapids, Michigan over time is the focus of this study. Urban ecology can often be measured by indicators of social disorganization. Five crimes (larceny, burglary, robbery, aggravated assault, and homicide) were regressed with several indicators of social disorganization. The independent variables were poverty, transience, family disorganization, the percentage of youth in the population, race, and household density. Both violent and property crimes were strongly related to race while specific crimes were related to poverty, family disorganization, the percentage of youth in the population, and transience. Property …

Physician’S Willingness To Treat Hiv Positive Patients, Tania Tiara Kazanjian

Masters Theses

Two research questions guided the present study: (1) Are there physicians' traits that influence their willingness to treat HIV positive patients? (2) Are there patients' traits that influence physicians' willingness to treat HIV positive patients? A total of 12 independent variables were selected for this study, five of which were related to the following physicians' traits: age, religion, geography, OSHA training, and the method of health insurance compensation. The other seven related to patients' traits such as race, ethnic background, and the manner in which patients contracted the disease. Three modes of transmission selected for study reflected on patient behaviors …

Muslims And Jews In Thirteenth-Century Valencian Law, Scott M. Gyenes

Masters Theses

When the Muslim kingdom of Valencia was conquered between 1233-1245 during the Reconguista, by James I, a new era was ushered in for the resident Muslims and Jews, because they would now be ruled by a minority Christian government. King James, in an attempt to control the newly settled Christians, issued the law code the Furs of Valencia. Additionally the Furs also established Christian legal superiority over the Muslims and Jewish populations, too.

The Furs of Valencia are highly valuable in the study of law, because of the influence of Roman, canon, and Islamic law. These influences helped slow …

The Effectiveness Of The Automatic Reinstatement Policy At Eastern Illinois University, Kristi Cobble

Masters Theses

The effectiveness of Eastern Illinois University's reinstatement policy was investigated in an attempt to determine what criteria were used to establish the current reinstatement policy and to further decide whether or not the criteria used have been accurate in predicting academic success for reinstated students at this institution. Chi-square analysis was used to assess the relationship, if any, between 14 variables and academic success following reinstatement: (1) quality point deficiency (QPD), (2) grade level at the time of dismissal, (3) race, (4) gender, (5) number of semesters in attendance prior to dismissal, (6) community college attendance during the absence from …

An Extended Year Program For At-Risk Middle School Children, Karen Patrice Flanigan

Masters Theses

At the beginning of this century only 6% of the American population even received a high school diploma. Now that diploma is so necessary that our society can no longer support or afford any undereducated citizens. Every year there is less and less room for them in the work force.; The states and school districts are reacting to this by trying to identify these at-risk children and to pose interventions to keep them in school. This is one account of an extended year program that was implemented for at-risk middle school children. The research focuses on the characteristics of these …

Teachers As Lifetime Readers: How Teachers Might Serve As Models For Students, Beth Lorraine Korringa

Masters Theses

An informal reading survey questionnaire explored whether teachers are lifetime readers and if so how they might help their students become lifetime readers. Teachers from three schools, preschool through fifth grade responded to the survey. Research done showed teacher and students sharing, read alouds and silent reading and teachers communicating their love of books and reading to students were the major points needed to help students become lifetime readers. Conclusions drawn from the survey show that teachers need to "act" like lifetime readers by reading more themselves and reading more in their classrooms. The survey also revealed that teachers today …

Housing Satisfaction In The Suburbs: A Racial Comparison, Amonda Stokes

Masters Theses

The primary focus of this study was to compare African Americans' and European Americans' satisfaction with housing in the suburbs. Previous literature suggests that African Americans are living in older suburbs, close to the central city, and in lower quality housing than European Americans.

The population of this study consisted of black and white households living in the suburbs. This was a national sample taken from the American Housing Survey (1991). Cross-tabulations were conducted to determine differences by race of affordability, age of housing unit, ownership, neighborhood satisfaction, and housing satisfaction. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine which variables …

A Feasibility Study For Using Computerized Water Well Records To Delineate Areas Of Recharge-Discharge Potential, Lauren D. Hughes

Masters Theses

A method for delineating areas of recharge-discharge potential has been developed utilizing computerized water well records. The methodology is based on the vertical head differences found between wells with shallow depths of submergence and those with deeper depths of submergence. The residual values generated represent the magnitude of vertical potential and can be contoured to delineate areas of recharge-discharge potential. Well data were obtained from the Kalamazoo County Groundwater Database. Well selection was based on depth of submergence and total well depth.

The methodology was tested in Texas and Schoolcraft Townships, the Donnell Lake Study Area, and Kalamazoo County. Regularly …

Geophysical Investigation At The Mouth Of The St. Joseph River Valley And Adjacent Lake Michigan Shoreline In St. Joseph And Benton Harbor, Michigan, David L. Seng

Masters Theses

A combination of geophysical methods were employed in an attempt to characterize a small section of the shoreline of the St. Joseph, Michigan, region of the Lake Michigan shoreline. Electrical resistivity and Ground Penetrating Radar profiles conducted along the shoreline and within the nearshore environment reveal a buried valley of the ancestral St. Joseph river. This valley represents incision of the channel during lowered lake levels at the end of the Pleistocene.

Lakeward dipping radar reflectors are identified throughout the study site. Within the buried valley the reflectors are not glacial till as is the case outside the inferred valley …

Curriculum Packet Serving Autistic, Educable, And Trainable Students With Mental Impairments, Amy E. Upham

Masters Theses

The education of the special needs population has been an ongoing debate since the creation of special education classes. While some educators feel that a slower version of the regular education curriculum is appropriate others feel that there is no room for the regular curriculum in the education of the autistic, educable, and trainable mentally impaired population.; In this thesis the research reviewed will support the need for a functional curriculum which emphasizes the areas of; self care/ personal development, basic math and language arts. The research will stress that a watered down regular education curriculum will not meet the …

Cooperative Learning: Does It Work And Do Students Like It?, Thomas Neal Vander Stelt

Masters Theses

This study compares a teacher-centered approach to learning with a cooperative learning method in order to discover if either method has greater ability to deliver academic success in a fourth grade geography unit. In addition, the study examines the students' preferences for or against the teacher-centered method and the cooperative method.; There has been some movement toward cooperative learning methods in the school in which this study takes place, but there is also some reluctance of some teachers to try it because they feel that the time it takes is not worth the results it brings. This study includes an …

Middle School Tutoring Practices In Illinois, Kim Lin Johnston

Masters Theses

Districts must provide successful cost-effective programs for students who are failing. One method that has proven both cost effective and successful is tutoring by staff, community volunteers, and students. The study investigated the tutoring practices in 45 schools and large unit districts in Illinois. As implemented, neither peer nor cross-age tutoring followed a predictable pattern. Results indicated that the most comon type of tutoring was after-school with remedial activities focusing on math and reading and taught by certified staff. The study described some of the design and administrative features that shape the programs, discussed possible implications for minority constituencies, and …

Whale, Michael J. Brown

Masters Theses

This thesis is composed of two parts. The first is a critical introduction which explores the influences on the author. The author is interested in the idea of style as a character in such works by Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and Albert French. This discussion of these authors leads into ideas of space, both physical and metaphysical, in much of twentieth century literature. Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is an example. The exploration of space in literature is important for the determination of identity, which is one of the important themes of literature in this century. The author connects Sherwood Anderson's …

Subsurface Glacial Geology Of The Area Between The Tekonsha And Kalamazoo Moraines, Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Kim Finkbeiner

Masters Theses

Cross sections profiling the stratigraphy of the glacial sediments were created using the geological logs recorded on water well records. Glacial sediments in the study area comprise a large outwash complex between two moraines. The surficial landforms are the result of the last Wisconsinan advance and retreat through the area.

Cross sections contructed for this project reveal at least three major till units. An additional till unit contains a weathered soil sequence. Therefore, it is possible that this paleosol represents the Sangamon Interglacial period between the Wisconsinan and Illinoian stages. No obvious evidence of movement of the Saginaw Lobe remains …

Gender Differences In Higher Education: A Comparison Of Males And Females Applying To Graduate School, Lynda Bennett

Masters Theses

The objective of this study was to determine in what ways male and female applicants to graduate school are similar or different. Secondary analysis was conducted on survey data which described attitudes and behavior of students admitted to graduate programs at Western Michigan University. The purpose was to assess the relationship between gender and curricula selected, likelihood of applying for and receiving financial aid, and the influence of marital status. Gender did have a statistically significant relationship with curricula selection and influence of marital status. Furthermore, it appeared that women graduate students find marriage to be a more limiting factor …

Gis Application For Nitrogen Dioxide Pollution Monitoring In Moscow, Russia, Maria V. Privalsky

Masters Theses

The focus of this study was nitrogen dioxide pollution monitoring in Moscow, Russia. ERDAS GIS was used to create maps of nitrogen dioxide distribution on the territory of the city for the years from 1983 to 1991.

A special model was written to compare the consecutive pairs of years in respect to the nitrogen dioxide pollution change. Results of model application were analyzed in order to determine the territories that experienced maximum changes during the study period.

Relationship between street density as a measure of car flow and nitrogen dioxide pollution was estimated. Two measures of the relationship were used: …

The Ethnic Aspects Of Population Change In Latvia After Independence, Ilmars Mezs

Masters Theses

This study examines current and historic ethnic and demographic trends and their spatial and cultural contexts within Latvia. Comparisons with the other two Baltic states are also presented and discussed. The Latvian population underwent fifty years of Soviet rule, with deliberate policies to dilute the homogeneity of Latvians through Russification, in-migration, and political dominance. The period from 1940 to 1991 greatly impacted Latvians and immigrants, who were mainly Russians, by placing stresses on the spatial structure of the ethnic groups and their cultural relationship.

Latvians in particular feared ethnic and cultural extinction. The process of ethnic dilution and mixing under …

The Importance Of Recreational Reading, And Its Impact On Children's Motivation, Attitude Towards Reading, As Well As Reading Achievement, Lisa Marie Digiovanna

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine whether children's voluntary/recreational reading and their attitudes toward reading would affect their overall, reading achievement. Third, fifth and seventh grade students were the subjects for this study. Student surveys, parent questionnaires, teacher observations and standardized test scores were used to assess students' attitudes, time spent on recreational reading and overall achievement. Students were placed in an "above average", "average", or "below average" achievement group according to overall achievement. Significant differences were found among the three achievement groups. The "above average" and "average" achievers, from all three grade levels, showed greater amounts of …

An International Comparison Of Lower Elementary School Schedules, Barbara Helen Wyns

Masters Theses

International comparisons indicate that U.S. students test below other industrialized countries. Researchers identify a shorter school day and year as a possible reason. While recognizing the fundamental differences from country to country, this study focuses on the measurable variables; days of instruction per year and total hours of instruction for lower elementary students. Comparisons with Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, and the United States, find that U.S. instructional days are fewer, however, the length of day is longer, and that total annual hours are second only to Japan. The amounts of homework and out of school learning are also discussed. The …

Effect Of Reservoir Function On Water Quality And Phytoplankton In Lake Taylorville, Christian County, Illinois, Scott Warren Phipps

Masters Theses

As is true for most reservoirs in agricultural areas, Lake Taylorville is currently impacted by excess sedimentation. A system of floodplain wetlands, holding ponds, and sediment basins is being constructed on the tributaries to the reservoir in effort to reduce sediment and nutrient loads. A comprehensive twelve-month assessment of water quality has been conducted to provide a baseline for evaluating the success of this restoration project and to allow predictions regarding future management strategies.

In reservoirs, a continuum of longitudinal gradients result in the establishment of three distinct zones possessing unique physical, chemical and biological properties. The function of these …

The South Tyrol And The Principle Of Self-Determination: An Analysis Of A Minority Problem, Eva Pfanzelter

Masters Theses

For almost three quarters of a century the South Tyroleans had fought for the preservation of their ethnic identity. The idea of self-determination introduced by Woodrow Wilson in 1918 legitimized their quest for protection of their ethnicity and language. Yet, the peace of Paris of 1919 denied the South Tyrolens' the right to self-determination and incorporated the German-speaking territory of the South Tyrol into Italy. During the following two decades Italian fascism eliminated the South Tyroleans' right to struggle for their cultural identity. Mussolini's ideology pursued the Italianization of the South Tyrol. The German-speaking minority in Italy could not even …

A Study Of Aquifer Sensitivity And Vulnerability In Kalamazoo County, Michigan Based On Hydrogeologic And Agricultural Factors, Steven Douglas Chidester

Masters Theses

Groundwater in Kalamazoo County, Michigan has been impacted by human activities. This study presents a statistical method for predicting aquifer sensitivity/vulnerability within a glacio-hydrogeologic system.

Computerized data including 3620 water well records with partial chemical analyses, soil surveys, land use maps, and hydrogeologic reports were used to quantify aquifer parameters, nitrate-N contaminant concentrations, soil factors, and agricultural practices. Statistical analyses included simple t-tests , correlation, ANOV A, and multiple regression analyses.

The results indicate that there are statistically significant relationships between nitrate-N concentrations and depth of well submergence, well depth, clay thickness, partial clay thickness, land use, and soil slope. …

A Classification Of Ecosystem Desertification Using Satellite Imagery, Dzheltyrbas Gulf, 1980-1989, Marni D. Cavis

Masters Theses

This study focused on the development of a land cover classification method for the Dzhiltyrbas Gulf region southeast of the Aral Sea in the former Soviet Union. Desertification of the region was mapped based on ecosystem descriptions taken from a database defining four stages of desertification. Landsat MSS images (bands 1, 2, and 4) were used as the basis for classification. Standard unsupervised and supervised classification methods did not distinguish the level of detail required to map each stage of desertification in each ecosystem. Therefore, the ecosystems had to be defined and classified as separate entities (based on SBI and …