Digital Commons Network^™

Elementary Students' Analysis Of Diverse History-Based Sources, Tara Richeson

Masters Theses

This study analyzed students' use of diverse sources for a history-based writing assignment on Abraham Lincoln. Participants includes 41 students in a fifth grade self-contained classroom in rural Illinois. The study was conducted during students' 30-minute writing period, every day for six weeks. During this time period, students close-read trade books and primary sources to collect research on Lincoln. Students also gathered additional information during their field trip to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum. Students synthesized their information from the various sources and organized the notes to write an informational, history-based writing piece on Lincoln. Students were required …

Binge Eating Disorder: Relationship To Physical And Emotional Factors, Taylor M. Mcmillan

Masters Theses

Binge eating disorder (BED) is a new core diagnosis within the Diagnostic Statistical Manual Fifth Edition (DSM-5; APA, 2013). Because binge eating disorder is a new diagnosis, research within this area is both lacking and developing quickly. Social physique anxiety and emotion regulation have been linked previously to binge eating disorder. In contrast, there is little research on the potential link between physical activity and binge eating disorder; however, physical activity has been shown to have potential treatment benefits for binge eating. This study examined BED on a continuum and its links to physical activity, emotion regulation, and subtypes of …

A Guide To Patient-Provider Interactions In Women's Healthcare, Emma Welton

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Kids, Spouses, School, Oh My! The Non-Traditional Student Experience, Amber J. Webb

Masters Theses

According to the Hussar and Bailey (2017) the number of non-traditional students on college campuses are expected to rise, closing the size of gap in enrollment numbers between traditional and non-traditional students. Though, the non-traditional student has traditionally been defined as students aged 25 and older, this study used Horn and Carroll's (1996) definition, as students who possess certain characteristics that make them vulnerable to academic problems (i.e. delayed enrollment, part-time enrollment, financial independence, full-time employment while enrolled, having dependents, being a single parent, or not receiving a standard high school diploma). Horn and Carroll (1996) further used these characteristics …

Resolution Of The Nutritional Requirements And Metabolic Profile Of Clostridium Scindens Atcc 35704, A Major Bile Acid-Dehydroxylating Anaerobe In The Human Gut, Rachana Shrestha

Masters Theses

Bile acids (cholate and chenodeoxycholate) are synthesized from cholesterol in the human liver, and secreted in small intestine for food digestion. However, a portion of these primary bile acids is converted in the colon to toxic secondary bile acids, deoxycholate and lithocholate. Secondary bile acid formation is the result of 7α-dehydroxylating anaerobes, and one of the key players in this conversion is Clostridium scindens. Interestingly, little is known about the basic physiology and nutrition of C. scindens. Therefore, the goal of this research was to understand the nutritional requirement, and determine the 7α-dehydroxylation activity and end products from …

Things Miraculous And Strange: A Poetic Interpretation Of The Death And Afterlife Of Agnes Sampson, Ann Mary Hart

Masters Theses

In this collection of poems, I tell the story of Agnes Sampson's 1591 trial for witchcraft, her torture and death, and her response to these events from the afterlife. Using persona perspectives and utilizing a variety of poetic forms, I reveal the voices, thoughts, and feelings of Agnes and others involved in the trials in hopes to give a full and well-rounded account of the events in a compelling and creative way. Included in the collection are erasures on some of James VI' s poems with the goal of turning them into responses to his actions from Agnes. Using this …

Examining 8th Grade Students Disciplinary Literacy Of Science Material, Chelsie P. Doughty

Masters Theses

Education standards are shifting to reflect a skills-based, rather than a content-centered, curriculum that focuses on students being literate across all disciplines. This study focuses on the skills of critical thinking, close reading, and text-based writing as it applies to the scientific and historical disciplines. Eighth grade students engaged in a text-based writing assignment that required evaluation of multiple sources to support their claims. Student responses were analyzed textually and verbally as it related to the content. Findings included the ability to identify students' struggles and successes with close reading, writing claims, evaluating evidence for importance, and connecting documents to …

Investigation Of A Putative Membrane-Bound Protein In Arabidopsis Thaliana And Nicotiana Tabacum, Allen Potter

Masters Theses

The NLG (Novel Leaf Gene) is a recently discovered gene from aspen (Populus tremula x alba). Previous research indicates that NLG impacts leaf shape. Our preliminary analyses indicate that NLG may function as a membrane bound protein with possible localization in plasma membrane and/or nucleus. Sequence and phylogenetic analyses in Arabidopsis thaliana and Populus trichocarpa identified four homologous genes in Arabidopsis and five in Populus. Gene expression analysis was done using online tools and indicated that NLG is expressed in multiple tissue types but predominately in stem and flowers. The protein coding region of the NLG orthologs genes from aspen …

The Transcriptional Response Of Trametes Versicolor To Growth On Maple Chips And Miscanthus Straw, Maha Alanazi

Masters Theses

This thesis research explored the transcriptional response of Trametes versicolor, a white-rot fungus, in response to fundamentally different types of lignocellulosic biomass (miscanthus and maple) and rich medium (malt extract agar). After five weeks of growth by the fungus on the biomass, the fungal RNA was extracted from three biological replicates per biomass type and mRNA was sequenced (approximately 30 million reads per sample). The reads were processed using ArrayStar to covert to RPKM and annotated using JGI's T. versicolor GO annotation file along with NCBI's BLAST. Comparisons were made between average gene expression of the fungus grown on …

Vendorgraphs - Data Visualization, Samuel Park

Masters Theses

Creating a data visualization solution for automotive dealers to enhance sales performance. As many auto dealers use over 20 vendors per store, it is very difficult to keep track of vendor performance. Therefore, auto dealers need a tool that explains vendor performance through visual charts and graphs. VendorGraphs will meet this need.

Numerical Simulation Study Of Factors Affecting Production Well Gel Treatment Using Linear Models With Crossflow, Kewei Shi

Masters Theses

"Conformance control is an inevitable topic related to water-flooding. Polymer gel has been proved to enhance oil recovery by blocking the existing water-breakthrough channels. Water that is injected subsequently will be directed to the unswept portion of the reservoir, replacing part of the remaining oil and increasing the oil-recovery factor. Prior to pilot tests of polymer gel treatment, laboratory experiments and numerical simulations are used to design the tests. Understanding physical meanings of key parameters that affect polymer gel treatment and relating the parameters from lab data and the simulator benefit field operation design.

This thesis study tries to evaluate …

Universal Wavefront Transmission Through Disordered Media, Jayson Robert Summers

Masters Theses

”When electromagnetic waves propagate through random dielectric media, they scatter in a predictable, deterministic way. The process is also fully reversible. If one sends an exiting wave backward through the same material, it will converge back to its original form and location in the same amount of time it took to originally propagate through the material. Due to this predictability, a great deal of research has went into studying these scattering processes in multimode fibers, diffusers, biological tissues, and other media. Scientists have turned random scattering material into focusing lenses, image transmitters, and highly transmitting media by controlling the impinging …

An Investigation Of The Influence Of The 2007-2009 Recession On The Day Of The Week Effect For The S&P 500 And Its Sectors, Marcel Alwin Trick

Masters Theses

"Several studies have shown that the mean returns and the volatility structure of stock markets change seasonally or by day of the week. For instance, some authors found out that Monday returns are lower compared to Friday returns or that volatility on Wednesdays are lower compared to the rest of the week. Other researchers showed that these effects have changed after certain periods of economic stress. This led to the question, whether the day of the week effects in returns and volatility are in the US stock market and if patterns have changed from pre-recession through the 2007-2009 recession into …

The Importance Of Chemical Grouting Materials For Optimum Mechanical Performance With Different Soil Conditions, Yusuf Alper Cinar

Masters Theses

"Grouting is a frequently used technique for controlling the water inflow and reinforcement of soil and rock. Even though cement-based grouting materials have been well characterized, ongoing improvements of chemical grouting materials create a need to better understand the characteristics of these materials in order to increase the efficiency of grouting applications. The purpose of this study is to characterize three common chemical grouting materials by exploring their mechanical performance under varying initial soil conditions. Performance decision criteria consist of the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and slake durability test results, observation of penetration ability, and comparison of the findings. The …

The Effects Of Privacy Violation Abstractness On Privacy Attitudes And Behaviors, Delicia Anceisao Vaz

Masters Theses

"This research investigates new methods to present privacy policy information to consumers. It makes the argument that current privacy policies do not present consumers with information in a manner that helps align their privacy attitudes with their privacy behaviors. With the introduction of smart appliances to the market, it is critical that appropriate privacy policies are created to equip consumers with information that is easy to understand. Neutral Examples and Risk Examples were created along with the Traditional Content of a privacy policy. These three components were used in different combinations to provide privacy information about smart appliances. Additionally, it …

Developing Improved Techniques For Gpr Guided Wave Data Analysis, Yunyi Guan

Masters Theses

"This study was conducted to investigate how limiting the allowable velocity range when analyzing guided wave data will affect the results of dielectric permittivity and thickness estimation. We conducted four sets of Experiments: an underlying layer of saturated organic loam is covered by incremental layers of the dry organic loam; a base layer of dry organic loam covered by the saturated organic loam; a saturated basal layer of silt with overlying dry silt layers, and a base layer of dry silt overlain by saturated silt layers to conduct a comparative study and perform three surveys for each of these three …

Imaging The Subsurface In Eastern Part Of Lake Chesterfield Using A Combination Of Geophysical Tools, Jiawei Li

Masters Theses

"The Lake Chesterfield North Dam in Wildwood city, Missouri has been leaking, more or less continuously since the dam was constructed in 1986 despite mitigation efforts in 1988, 1994, 1995, 2004, and 2005. Neither the grouting efforts in 1988, 1994, 1995, 2004 or 2005, nor the placement and rehabilitation of an impervious clay liner in 2005 has solved the problem. Indeed, in June of 2017, the water level in Lake Chesterfield dropped at an alarmingly rapid rate.

Prior to authorizing additional mitigation work, the Lake Chesterfield Home Owners Association (LCHOA) decided to acquire geophysical data across the dry lake bed. …

Hydraulic Fracture Design Optimization For Nubian Sandstone Formation In Libya, Housameddin Mohamed Sherif

Masters Theses

There is growing interest in developing unconventional oil and gas reserves in Libya, such as the tight portions of the Nubian sandstone.

Well-X7 is a development well drilled to a TD of 13,005' penetrating the Upper Nubain Sandstone (UNSS) at 12,122'-12,207' and the Lower Nubain Sandstone (LNSS) at 12,524'-12,880' KB. Based on open hole logs, the UNSS has 71 ft of net pay and the LNSS was found to have 295 ft of net pay. Openhole logs also showed low permeabilities of 2.5 and 3 md for the UNSS and LNSS, respectively. The well was initially perforated in both zones …

An Ethnohistorical Study Of The Dowagiac Chieftains, Kathryn A. Bishop

Masters Theses

This research uses ethnohistorical methods to examine the use of imagery appropriated from American Indian cultures by the Dowagiac Union Schools. High School yearbooks from 1899- 2014, along with other artifacts, were identified as sources of information to describe students’ experiences. Applying Brayboy’s (2005) Tribal Critical Race Theory, an off-shoot of Critical Race Theory, combined with the research of historical and theoretical scholars like Davis (2002), Pewewardy (2001), and Deloria, King, and Springwood (2001), a case is made for the removal of American Indian mascots used by educational institutions, including the Dowagiac Chieftains. Though over 1,750 occasions of American Indian-appropriated …

Minecrafting Archaeology: An Experimental Pedagogy For An Eighteenth-Century French Trading Post In Niles, Michigan, James B. Schwaderer

Masters Theses

The convergence of archaeology, digital technology, and public education has produced new and exciting ways for archaeologists to engage and inform the public. This thesis uses the video game Minecraft to recreate the process of archaeology in a digital format. The test case for this project was the Fort St. Joseph Archaeology Project and its excavation at Fort St. Joseph in Niles, Michigan. The target audience for this project is students in grades three to five. These grades were determined to be the most applicable because their content ranges from United States to Michigan history. A study of virtual archaeology …

Phosphorus Retention In West Michigan Two-Stage Agricultural Ditches, Emily Kindervater

Masters Theses

Input of excess nutrients into a water body can negatively impact ecological structure and function, as well as the economic vitality of surrounding communities, by contributing to eutrophication. For example, phosphorus (P) and sediment inputs from agricultural drainage have facilitated the development of hypereutrophic conditions in Lake Macatawa, a drowned river mouth lake located in Holland, Michigan. Two-stage ditches, an agricultural best management practice (BMP), are used in some areas of the Midwest to reduce N export downstream via denitrification. This BMP simulates a mini-floodplain by replacing a traditional, trapezoidal ditch with a channel that has excavated benches on each …

The Effect Of Auditory Stimuli On Test Performance: Testing The Arousal Hypothesis, Ian Thomas Kells

Masters Theses

Since the publication of Rauscher, Shaw, and Ky’s study in 1993 on the “Mozart Effect”, the study of music and its effect on cognition and performance has gained significant attention. Roth and Smith (2008) investigated this “Mozart Effect” and suggested a continuation of research and interpretation through an arousal theory. This study examined the effects of a subject-identified arousing stimulus on performance on the Verbal Reasoning portion of the GRE, analyzed through an arousal theory framework. A sample of 24 non-music Western Michigan University students took part in one 60-minute testing period using subject-preferred music, which was then analyzed across …

Visual Literacy: Integrating Social Justice Art Education Into The Middle School Curriculum, Anna Kazmarski

Masters Theses

The purpose of this paper is to explore how social justice art education and visual literacy can facilitate growth and compassion for the diverse other in society. Social justice art encourages exploration of art-making in a variety of settings in order to dispel anxiety or misunderstandings about those affected by injustice. An investigation of original lesson plans designed to meet national core art standards will be introduced to elaborate on how social issues can be incorporated into a comprehensive art education curriculum based on critical and analytical inquiry at the middle school level.

Testing The Arousal Hypothesis: The Effect Of Music On Arousal As Measured By Electrodermal Activity During Verbal Processing, Meghan E. Feeman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis project is to assess the arousal hypothesis by implementing an auditory stimulus (music) at various times during a task (Verbal Processing section of the GRE) to analyze changes in arousal, as measured by electrodermal activity (EDA). Testing is administered for one hour with music implemented before testing and twice during testing. EDA levels are used to measure physiological response and are collected over the one hour testing period. For analysis, testing material is broken into different time blocks to assess arousal levels through mean slope, mean skin conductance level (SCL), mean skin conductance response (xSCR), …

Overcoming Ideology: Examining The Tension Between Sex Work And Anti-Human Trafficking Advocacy, Emily R. Williams

Masters Theses

Human trafficking has become a national conversation and concern. Grassroots organizations designed to combat human trafficking spring up rapidly and help shape public perception on what trafficking is – and what it isn’t. Drawing on participant observation and indepth interviewing, I speak with anti-trafficking advocates determined to eradicate human trafficking and sex workers who prefer to stay in their profession. This thesis will largely explore the unintended consequences of well-meaning advocacy, and the tension between their views on the sex industry and the views from within the sex industry. I aim to use this work not only as a local …

Libya, The New York Times, And A Propaganda Model Of The Mass Media, Randy Laprairie

Masters Theses

This project derives a set of research expectations from the propaganda model, a structural model of the corporate news media developed by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky. The model predicts that the news media will reflect elite views and priorities and marginalize views outside the range of elite opinion. Consequently, it is expected that the media will tend to support the elite’s preferred modes of exercising state power in international affairs. This often entails demonizing official enemies of the United States in order to justify military interventions while downplaying the crimes of the United States and its allies. To …

U.S. Metropolitan Bridges To Puerto Rican Music Identity; Cuban And Puerto Rican Music Connections From The 1920'S-1970'S, William George Johnson

Masters Theses

“Cuba and Puerto Rico are As two wings of the same bird, They receive flowers and bullets Into the same heart ...” (Lola Rodriguez de Tio, 1868) Puerto Rican poet and political activist Lola Rodriguez de Tio penned these words after being inspired by the call for the independence of Puerto Rico. Her words were further canonized in Puerto Rican cultural identity after being published in the song La Borinquena by composer Rafael Hernandez. Hernandez’s song would later become a musical symbol of national identity for the island of Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican Diaspora. The connection between the …

Teaching Marching Band In Urban Schools, Freamon Mcnair Iii

Masters Theses

The marching bands at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) have entertained millions nationwide with precision, choreography, and musicianship. With the combination of precision-style marching and the African-American music culture, these bands have changed the perception of the football halftime performance. The music graduates of these marching band programs often follow the philosophy taught at their respective alma maters and impart it to their students. While most mainstream high school bands implement corps-style marching, urban high schools incorporate the style of the historically black schools. Bethune Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, Florida A&M University in Tallahassee, Florida, and Tennessee …

From Subject To Cyborg: Reframing Identity Within Female Spaces In Neil Gaiman's Black Orchid And A Game Of You, Mary A. Ruge

Masters Theses

Whether they are secret or whether they are household names, identities are paramount in superhero comics. Yet those that create these identities do so from a place of privilege in a hierarchy which results in inauthentic characters and repetitive plots. For the superhero genre, the misrepresentation of female characters (perhaps related to a severe underrepresentation of female creators) has resulted in highly patriarchal storylines that are reductive, stereotypical, and often violent toward women. To combat this trend, one must consider the ways in which a more complex female character violates the current framework and offer a solution. For superhero comics, …

Development Of A Novel Printed And Flexible Surface Enhanced Raman Specopy (Sers) Substrate For Detection Of Cocaine, Farah Mazin Aljanabi

Masters Theses

In this thesis, the author focuses on the design and fabrication of a novel surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrate that could potentially be employed for the detection of illicit drugs. Raman spectroscopy based optical detection has been extensively employed as a qualitative and quantitative analytical method.

The author has worked on two research projects, which are both focused on the development of printed SERS substrate for the detection of cocaine. The first project is based on gravure printing of silver nanoparticle (AgNP) based ink on flexible and stretchable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrate. The fabricated substrate dimensions are 1.5 × …