Digital Commons Network^™

Application Of Artificial Neural Networks And Colored Petri Nets On Earthquake Resilient Water Distribution Systems, Nandini Kavanal Balakrishnan

Masters Theses

"Water distribution systems are important lifelines and a critical and complex infrastructure of a country. The performance of this system during unexpected rare events is important as it is one of the lifelines that people directly depend on and other factors indirectly impact the economy of a nation. In this thesis a couple of methods that can be used to predict damage and simulate the restoration process of a water distribution system are presented. Contributing to the effort of applying computational tools to infrastructure systems, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is used to predict the rate of damage in the pipe …

Female Freedom Fighters: The Impact Of Kate Chopin's The Awakening And Edith Wharton's The House Of Mirth On The American Suicide Discourse From 1870-1900, Jenny Cortez

Masters Theses

Chapter one traces the discussion of suicide that was taking place in America between the years 1870-1900. Some psychologists attributed suicide to insanity and imitation, while others ascribed the act of suicide to those individuals with an intelligent disposition. Other theorists, however, saw the act itself as being in direct connection with social consciousness and the plight of women. Chapter two takes up Kate Chopin's The Awakening, published in 1899, as a response to this conversation over women who take their own lives, contending that a woman commits the act of suicide not because, as American society suggested between 1870 …

The Grim Word: 'Home' In Fiction By Graham Greene, Geoff Cowgill

Masters Theses

Graham Greene's treatment of the subject of home in his writings is remarkably negative. Focusing on nine of his major novels (England Made Me, A Gun for Sale, Brighton Rock, The Heart of the Matter, The Quiet American, The Comedians, Travels with My Aunt, The Honorary Consul, and The Human Factor), this study explicates the ways in which home fails his characters. In this thesis, 'home' has been split into three facets: family, domicile and homeland. Each facet seems to promise benefits for the characters that don't materialize. The way in which Greene's writing promotes a betrayal of home reflects …

Textual Selves, Tasha Dunaway

Masters Theses

Through an examination of the texts of William Byrd II and Thomas Jefferson, I consider appetite as an instrument of self-construction in relation to two poles of male identity: the patriarch and the libertine. Byrd and Jefferson's public images as patriarchs are complicated by an examination of their private texts which reveal a decidedly libertine tendency. These two men compose texts (and personae) relative to socially accepted notions of appetite.

Chapter One discusses the composition of works written for introspective purposes, arguably private works--commonplace books, scrapbooks, diaries, and letters-in an effort to distinguish the ways in which appetite operates in …

Effect Of Living Arrangement And Meals Eaten Alone On The Nutrition Status Of Older Adults, Kelly L. Boeger

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to determine if older adults who live alone are at greater nutritional risk than those who do not live alone and to determine if eating with -'others increases nutritional status in older adults. A questionnaire, adapted from the "Determine Your Nutritional Health Checklist" developed by the Nutrition Screening Initiative, was administered to 100 older adults 65 years of age or older. Ninety-four survey participants were included in the study.

Nutrition scores from the nutrition assessment portion were compiled for each subject by categorizing each questionnaire as low, moderate, or high~ depending on level of …

Textile Recycling Attitudes And Behaviors Among College Students, Elizabeth Eileen Walter

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the recycling attitudes and behaviors among Eastern Illinois University undergraduate students in the Lumpkin College of Business and Applied Sciences, and to determine if students are willing to include textile in their recycling behavior. The potential benefits of this research include an increase in environmental awareness among students and a decrease in the amount of textiles sent to the landfill.

A survey was distributed to seventeen Family and Consumer Sciences, Business, and Technology classes. Surveys were also distributed at a meeting for non-traditional students. A total of 194 surveys were returned to …

Bullying And Victimization In High School As Perceived By Female Students In A Midwestern University, Shannon Y. Schwab

Masters Theses

Bullying and victimization increased tremendously over the past 2 decades and are presently one of the most enduring and underrated problems in U.S. schools. Much of the research available on bullying has focused primarily on males; however, recently, research has shown that females are just as likely as males to engage in bullying behaviors. Unfortunately, female bullying occurs quite frequently, yet remains unrecognized because it is often overlooked. Females tend to prefer more indirect forms of bullying behaviors in order to keep it anonymous. The focus of the current research was to examine the nature and frequency of female bullying …

The Effect Of Suggestive Selling By Wait Staff On Food Consumption, Gwen Zumwalt

Masters Theses

Factors that influence our dietary choices are important because our nation is facing an obesity epidemic. This study analyzed the influence of wait staff on food consumption in a restaurant environment. The University Institutional Review Board approved the study, and informed consent was obtained. The subjects, college students (n=46), were randomly assigned into a control or treatment group. Every subject was initially given one serving of each food item. The meal consisted of rolls, soup, pasta, cookies, and a beverage. Subjects were excluded from the study if they had diabetes or a food allergy. Subjects in the control group were …

Effects Of A Health Program On Dietary Behaviors, Physical Activity, And Weight Loss In College Students, Megan A. Mccallister

Masters Theses

The 2003 National College Health Risk Behavior Survey suggests that 35% of college students may be overweight/obese. The purpose of "The Biggest Loser: You Gotta Lose It to Win It" was to assist college students to become nutritionally and physically healthier. A needs assessment reported a weight-loss program to be the number one requested type of program by students. "The Biggest Loser: You Gotta Lose It to Win It", a ten-week weight-loss study was implemented due to this needs assessment. This study applied nutrition and physical activity education to assist with a healthy weight loss in three phases (initial, middle, …

Lola's Story: Writing Comfort Women In World War Ii History Of The Philippines, Krishna Ignalaga Thomas

Masters Theses

This thesis examines the origins of the Japanese-imposed comfort station system in the Philippines during World War II. In order to show that the Filipino former comfort women lolas) are not marginalized victims, but are active agents instead, I illustrate how successfully the lolas have used various strategies to keep this issue at the forefront. This thesis analyzes their testimonies and other genres, (legal proceedings, newspaper articles, poetry, dance and language usage) highlighting the growing need for outlaw genres to bridge the gap in a contemporary landscape where history needs to cross national, cultural and language barriers. By presenting these …

Six Degrees Of Guillelmus Mancip: A Study Of Connections Between Donors To The Military Orders In 12th Century Toulouse, Eric D. Orr

Masters Theses

This thesis is essentialy a study of two groups of documents: the Cartulaire de l'ordredu Temple 1119? - 115 0. Recueil de chart es et des bull es relatives a l 'ordre du Temple, which contains a rich source of donations and wills left to the Knights Templar, and one very few such collections of records left concerning the Templars in Southern France; the Cartulaire general de l'ordre des Hospitaliers de Saint Jean de Jerusalem (1100-1310), which acts as the source of the same kind of documents for the Knights Hospitaller. This study examines the emerging social groups who are …

Soil Sisters: Independent Land Owning Women In Coles And Douglas Counties, Illinois, 1870-1930, Rachel E. Kleinschmidt

Masters Theses

In the Midwest during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, many women owned and worked on farmland, but the male-dominated capitalistic farming system negated much of the legal and economic authority they had as farmers. Progressive Era changes in the farming system shifted family farming systems to profit-driven business-oriented farms, marginalizing women's productive contributions. Single and widowed women farmers in Coles and Douglas Counties in Illinois managed to retain ownership of farm land despite gender and legal biases inherent in common law practices defined by patriarchy.

A survey of local history sources, including federal census data, probate records, and …

General Health And Fitness Knowledge And Exercise Behaviors Of College Students At Eastern Illinois University, Cara Mcqueen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess general health and physical fitness knowledge and the exercise behaviors of college students at Eastern Illinois University. Specifically, objective a) was health and fitness knowledge related to the minutes of aerobic exercise in a structured physical activity, objective b) was taking the Fitness for Life class related to the minutes of aerobic exercise, and objective c) was do students who have taken the Fitness for Life class demonstrate greater general physical fitness knowledge compared with students who have not taken the Fitness for Life class? Participants included males (n=123) and females (n=141), …

Comparison Of Diabetes Education Across Age Group, Gender, And Diabetes Type, Katey Korhonen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of various types of patient education in motivating diabetic patients to make lifestyle changes and helping patients identify causes of sub-optimal control of blood glucose. Patient educational tools compared included: verbal information from a physician, consultations with a dietician, sessions with a diabetes educator, written materials such as pamphlets or brochures, Internet sources of information, use of finger stick glucose monitoring, and use of the Continuous Glucose Monitoring System.

One hundred individuals with diabetes ( 63 females and 3 7 males) responded to an online survey that was hosted at …

The Physical Activity Levels Of College Age Sorority Members Compared To Non-Sorority Members, Michael J. Foster

Masters Theses

The current study compared the physical activity levels of college undergraduates who were members of a sorority with non-sorority members. Behavioral practices that may influence physical activity were also examined.

Progress Checks As A Motivational Tool For Adult Fitness Participants, Stephanie James

Masters Theses

This study will examine the effect of an exercise screening on the motivation to adhere to an exercise program. The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to determine how a 12 week progress report effects motivation in Adult Fitness participants at Eastern lliinois University, 2) to determine the effectiveness of an exercise readiness screen in modifying exercise behavior, and 3) to examine the participants reaction to the feedback given. Throughout this study, motivation was compared to the feedback that the participants were given after twelve weeks of the Adult Fitness Program. The participants in this study were current Adult …

Stepping Outside The Sacred Circle: Narratives Of Violence And Disempowerment Of The Contemporary Indian Woman, Koeli M. Goel

Masters Theses

India is a secular socialist republic and one of the largest democracies in the world. It prides itself on its modern constitution, extensive educational system and progressive society. The sophisticated mainstream English print media - frequently staffed by erudite, internationally acclaimed journalists and managed by India's biggest business houses - sketches the image of a prosperous, "rising" and "shining" India through glossy publications. Beneath this superficial veneer of the story of India's progress is an underbelly of repressive practices, gender-based discrimination and human rights' violations which reveal a society in which women's rights are minimal, oppression is endemic and economic …

The Making Of A Middlerace: The Social Politics Surrounding Black-White Interracial Marriages And Black White Biracial Identity, Yoftahe K. Manna

Masters Theses

In an attempt to uncover the social politics surrounding Black-White interracial marriages and Black-White biracial identity, this thesis investigates outsiders' and insiders' perspectives on the issues. Black and White participants of the study reported positive attitudes toward Black-White interracial marriage, while they reported negative attitudes toward Black-White biracial individuals. No statistically significant differences were found between Blacks and Whites in attitudes toward Black-White interracial marriages and Black-White biracial identity. No statistically significant differences were found between men and women, either. The insiders' reports, however, contradicted these findings. Both Black-White interracial couple and Black-White biracial adult participants of this study reported …

Factors Affecting Resident Assistant Burnout At Eastern Illinois University, Lindsay A. Gustin

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to identify factors that contribute to Resident Assistant burnout. Burnout is defined as a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment that can occur among individuals who do "people work" (Hardy & Dodd, 1998). Definitions for burnout including emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment are located in the definitions section of chapter one.

The study was conducted on the campus of Eastern illinois University. The sample population was Resident Assistants currently under contract with the department of University Housing and Dining Services. The level of burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout …

Student Spiritual Development Associated With Fraternity Affiliation, Jason B. Goldfarb

Masters Theses

This study examined the relationship between fraternity affiliation, spirituality and associated beliefs and values as measured by a survey instrument (Higher Education Research Institute, 2004c) that contained 19 factor scales. Factors were grouped within categories of spirituality, religiosity, and other related qualities (Lindholm, Park, Curley, & Schwartz, 2008). In addition, the relationship between fraternity affiliation and spirituality was examined via six planned analyses based on present research dealing with implied outcomes of fraternity membership. Finally, a scale was developed from items within the College Students Beliefs and Values Survey to assess respondents' relative levels of hegemonic masculinity.

Significant differences were …

An Exploration Of The Perception Of Collective Identity Threat Among Muslim Students In Higher Education, Donna Vitale

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to examine the perspectives of Muslim students in higher education concerning their connections to campus based on their perceptions of collective identity threat. Collective identity exists when an individual holding group membership fears that in-group members' behavior will reinforce a negative stereotype about their group. Similarly, stereotype threats are personally relevant threats in which individuals may fear reinforcing the stereotype themselves (Cohen & Garcia, 2005). Research in the area of stereotype threat has high generalizability and can transfer to any race or gender (Steele, Spencer, & Aronson, 2002). For the purpose of the …

Female And Male Student Leadership Characteristics: Differences & Similarities, Amber Mishala Shaverdi

Masters Theses

Females and males differ in a variety of areas, yet these genders also have similar qualities. Are these similarities and differences affecting our college environment? In this research thesis the researcher set out to gather data that identifies the similarities and differences among undergraduate student leaders at a mid-sized Midwest public institution. The researcher first identifies student involvement and the many advantages for students who choose to be involved in cocurricular activities. Literature is presented highlighting a variety of theories that identify gender differences among females and males. The theories range from male masculinity, cognitive development, and societal gender roles. …

Beneficial Effects Of Estradiol Are Mediated Through Apoe, Aseem Hussain

Masters Theses

Estradiol is the primary premenopausal hormone circulating in women. It is a powerful hormone in the female body since it sends signals to the brain, regulates ovulation and menstrual cycle and acts on the nervous syste~ heart, breast and many other tissues in the body. However all estradiol production is stopped after menopause. Post menopausal women can develop a host of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. If the onset of progressive dementia is after menopause during loss of estradiol, it seems logical to assume that the lack of estradiol should have a big role to play in the pathogenesis …

Artificial Riffles As A Stream Remediation Technique, Bethany S. Harrington

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Joint Book Reading And The Language Experience Approach On Vocabulary Acquisition, Whitney Sturm

Masters Theses

Research indicates that reading books is beneficial for development of vocabulary and syntax (Robbins & Ehri, 1994). Joint book reading is defined as the interaction between an adult, child, and a book while reading. The language experience approach (LEA) is a reading method that "promotes reading and writing through the use of personal experiences and oral language"(Taylor, 1992). The purpose of this study was to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of joint book reading and the language experience approach on vocabulary acquisition in preschool and kindergarten children with hearing impairments, as well as, preschool and kindergarten children with normal hearing.

Within …

High School Students' Academic Achievement And Their Mothers' Attitudes And Level Of Education, Nicole M. Classen

Masters Theses

What is life like for a teenager growing up with a sibling who has a disability? Using their own words, five high school students explored, through an interview format, how their experiences, family systems, and identity have been shaped in direct and indirect ways by having a brother or sister with a disability. Several common themes emerged and included how sibling-care responsibilities influenced their ability to participate in social activities outside of the home, reported perceptions of having more household responsibilities than their peers and/or siblings, recognition that the sibling with a disability influenced family members and family life, an …

High School Siblings Of Children With Disabilities: Five Case Studies, Casey Cuttill

Masters Theses

How mothers' level of education and attitudes toward education related to their children's academic achievement was investigated in the present study. One hundred fifteen mothers of high school students participated in this study by completing a questio1maire that evaluated their level of education and their attitudes regarding the importance of education. Their children's grade point averages were also collected. Results indicated that when the mothers had less positive attitudes toward education, mothers' level of education was not related to their children's academic achievement. When mothers reported more positive attitudes toward education and had a high level of education themselves, however, …

The Power Of Prayer: Examining The Relationship Between Prayer And Subjective Well-Being, Abby A. Grove

Masters Theses

The present study examined the relationship between types of prayer ( adoration, contemplation, thanksgiving, supplication, and reception) and well-being, self-esteem, satisfaction in life, and spiritual support. For this study, there were several hypotheses. First, it was hypothesized that the more a person reported praying and feeling spiritually supported, the higher the level of self-esteem would be. Second, adoration and thanksgiving prayers would be more closely related to higher levels of subjective wellbeing than would confession, supplication, or reception prayers. Third, piarried people would report higher levels of satisfaction with life and spiritual support. Also expected were the following outcomes: (1) …

The Virtues Of Prosocialness, Wisdom, And Hope As Predictors Of Academic Achievement In Adolescents, Michael P. Maier

Masters Theses

Currently, there is a strong emphasis on children scoring well on academic achievement tests. While the skills needed to do well on these tests are important, positive character is another factor that may be related to academic achievement. The purpose of the present study was to examine if positive character is relevant to academic achievement. Can prosocialness, hope, and wisdom predict academic achievement? Which of these virtues is most predictive? Can these virtues predict academic achievement above and beyond academic skill levels?

Illinois Standards Achievement Test scores and GP A were collected for 105 students who also completed self-report measures …

Teachers' Perceptions Of Multicultural Education, Brandie M. Goodman

Masters Theses

The current study investigated teachers' perceptions of multicultural education. Teachers' perception of the importance of culture in the learning and teaching process is expected to impact students' learning and social development. For the culturally competent teacher, the child's culture is central to the teaching and learning process. However, even though the student population of ethnic minorities is increasing at a rapid rate, schools may not be fully prepared to provide meaningful education to these students. Based on the exposure theory, the current study attempted to answer the following question: Does a teacher's present and past teaching experience (urban, suburban, or …