Digital Commons Network^™

The Effects Of A Performance-Based Lottery System On Accident Reduction In The Kalamazoo Office Of The United States Postal Service, Dale F. Polley

Masters Theses

The effects of a performance-based lottery system on the accident rates of mail carriers were examined. Two hundred and eight mail carriers in five United States Postal Service facilities participated. The experimental design consisted of a multiple-baseline with reversal. In addition, the accident rates for the intervention period were compared to the accident rates for the same period of time during the preceding two years.

A Safety Bingo game served as the lottery system. If an accident did not occur in a work unit during the day, a bingo number was drawn. The bingo game continued until either a bingo …

The Effects Of Public Posting On Job Performance With And Without Supervisory Participation, Jan Marie Miller

Masters Theses

The intervention was tested using a sequential presentation of conditions to assess the performance of clerical employees in a university admissions office. Ten workers received feedback on completion of mailroom tasks on a daily basis. Tasks included time of mail delivery and accuracy and quantity of responses to information requests. For mail delivery, two intervention elements were applied. First, group performance data were posted publicly. Second, verbal feedback from a supervisor was added to public posting. Improvement in time of mail delivery was observed when public posting was implemented; however, no reliable improvements were observed when supervisor feedback was added. …

Enhancing Cooperative Education Programs For Indian Valley Conference High Schools, William R. Estes Iii

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study is to examine the alternatives by which small rural schools in the Indian Valley Conference could offer a broader education base for their students through cooperative education programs. Data was collected by personal interviews from the principals of the thirteen Indian Valley Conference high schools. The study focused on four areas, a) the factors necessary for effective cooperative education programs, b) the advantages of cooperative education programs, c) the disadvantages of cooperative education programs,d) and the desire for increased participation in cooperative education programs.

The survey results, relative to the cooperative education program needs of …

A Comparison Of Attendance And Self-Esteem At Assumption High School, Connie Lee Falconer

Masters Theses

Nonattendance has historically been a problem for teachers and administrators. Only recently has the effect of self-esteem and attendance been the focus of serious research. This study was conducted at Assumption High School, Assumption Community School District #9, Assumption, Illinois. The study encompassed those students in grades 9 through 12 for attendance purposes in the school year 1990-1991. Those students who were added or dropped during the given school year were not included in the study. Since this research involved some of the factors of ten associated with nonattendance of high school students, all of the students continuously enrolled from …

Mmpi Profiles Of Sexual Perpetrators, Steven G. Vaupel

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare MMPI scores of 60 men referred for assessment and/or counseling at community mental health facilities. No MMPI protocols were excluded due to elevated validity configurations (70T or above). Forty of the referrals were referred for suspected child sexual abuse. Twenty of the referrals admitted (Admitter) to sexually abusing a child at the time of referral and twenty did not admit (Nonadmitter) to sexually abusing a child when referred. A control group of the remaining twenty subjects were referred for various offenses, none of which included sexual offenses against children. Significant differences were …

The Facilitation Of Students With Learning Disabilities To Postsecondary Education By Secondary Special Educators, Victoria A. Stephans

Masters Theses

This descriptive research was conducted to collect data concerning the attitudes and policies about transition to postsecondary education by secondary special educators in the State of Illinois. A survey was sent to 208 secondary special educators representing the independent high school districts in the state. The survey measured three variables in relation to size of school: special educators' awareness of postsecondary educational opportunities, special educators' expectations for students labeled learning disabled to pursue postsecondary education, and current practices for serving high school students labeled learning disabled. The findings showed that there were more likenesses than differences in the transition attitudes …

Methods Of Improving The Student Teaching Experience At The Elementary And Junior High School Levels As Identified By Cooperating Teachers, Student Teachers And First Year Teachers, Darrell L. Sy

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field experience was to identify how the student teaching experience could be improved based upon recommendations by cooperating teachers, first year teachers and student teachers who completed a questionnaire. Each group was asked its opinions of the current status of the student teaching experience and how the process could be improved.

Cooperating teachers provided information relative to the special types of activities they conducted to better prepare student teachers for the profession. Current student teachers were asked to determine the teaching skills with which they needed the most assistance. First year teachers provided information that compared …

The Effect Of Downhill Running Training On 200m And 2000m Running Performance, Jacquilyn L. Gallagher

Masters Theses

Downhill running as a method of training for improved running performance is an option which has rarely been explored. The purpose of this study was to explore the idea that downhill interval training may be an effective form of improving efficiency and thus, performance time, in 200m and 2000m level running by producing increases in both stride length (SL) and stride frequency (SF).

To test this hypothesis, twelve fit male subjects were divided into two training groups, downhill (D) and level (L), matched on the basis of a 2000m time trial performance and VO_2max. The dependant variables of …

Direct Immunofluorescence Detection Of Giardia Spp. In Selected Mammals In Central Illinois, Using Anti-Giardia Polyclonal And Monoclonal Antibodies, Jeanette Aba Ackon Brown

Masters Theses

Giardia species occur in many kinds of mammals, and some of these hosts have been postulated as potential reservoirs for human infections. A study was initiated in fall 1990 to determine the distribution and frequency of giardiasis in populations of selected wild animals in 12 counties in Illinois. Fecal samples from 64 white-tailed deer, 13 coyotes, 9 muskrats, 6 raccoons, and 5 badgers were examined for the presence of Giardia spp. and specifically for G. lamblia. Anti-Giardia lamblia cysts polyclonal (PAb) and monoclonal (MAb), FITC-labeled antibody solutions were used for the direct immunofluorescence detection of Giardia cysts in …

A Review Of The Literature On Self-Care Children: A Need For Empirical Studies, Stephanie L. Perry

Masters Theses

The term "self-care child'' refers to a young child who returns from school and remains at home unsupervised for an indefinite period until the parents arrive from work, or one who is alone before school in the mornings. In this paper, the emotional functioning, social functioning, and academic performance of self-care children were compared to adult-supervised children. Also, programs designed for self-care children were examined.

When examining the current literature on the self-care child regarding loneliness, anxiety and behavior problems, susceptibility to peer pressure, sexuality, social functioning, and academic performance, no significant differences were found between self-care and adult-supervised children. …

The Validity Of Studies That Test The Effectiveness Of Psychotherapy, Ian K. Isaacs

Masters Theses

This thesis is a review of the validity of studies on the effectiveness of psychotherapy. Ten randomly selected studies are examined to determine if the validity of the study was affected by threats to statistical conclusion, internal, construct, and external validity. All of the studies examined were published after 1985. The results indicate that validity of the research on the effectiveness of psychotherapy is affected by some threats to validity: History, Testing, and Selection bias, (ie. internal validity). In addition, external validity was affected by the lack of use of appropriate control group, lack of a description of the therapy …

A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Preaching Of Robert Lee Russell, Ben F. Pennington

Masters Theses

Robert Lee Russell's pulpit oratory is analyzed through a review of the literature, personal interviews and critical study of three specific sermons. The consistency of idea content and effectiveness of the preaching is evaluated according to the concepts of rhetorical analysis delineated in Nilsen's (1957) Interpretive Funnction of the Critic. Robert Russell's concepts of man [existence], ideas [knowledge], and society [values] is examined through analysis of his sermons. The results of the analysis are compared to the literature on preaching, statements from interviews with him, and comments by leaders of his congregation. It is concluded that Russell is an …

A Comparison Between Physiological And Perceived Exertion During Maximal And Submaximal Treadmill Exercise At Three Menstrual Cycle Phases, Kathleen M. Mccune

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in physiological and subjective perceived exertion levels at maximal and submaximal treadmill exercise between three phases of the menstrual cycle in eumennorheic women.

Nine females of varying fitness levels were subjects in the study. None of the subjects were using oral contraception or hormone altering medications at the time of the study.

The subjects performed three separate maximal graded exercise tests (GXT) using the Balke protocol. During each GXT, oxygen uptake (VO₂), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory quotient (RQ), rate of perceived exertion, and total time …

An Investigation Into Physiological Responses And Ratings Of Perceived Exertion To Submaximal Cycle Ergometry When Using Aerodynamic And Drop Handlebars, Haydn Jarrett

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Osteoporosis Health Beliefs And Knowledge To Calcium Intake, Karen L. Boyer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between health beliefs (susceptibility, severity, benefits, barriers, health motivation and self-efficacy) and knowledge, to calcium intake. The study used a descriptive correlational design and a convenience sample of 201 women was selected. Data collection took place in a metropolitan area of west Michigan and a structured interview method was used. The subjects ranged in age from 35 to 95. Ninety-six and one half percent of the sample was white. The hypothesis--"knowledge and the health beliefs account for a significant amount of variance in calcium intake" was partially supported. Self-efficacy and …

Patient Perceptions Of Nurse Caring Behaviors, Patricia A. Devries

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine which nurse caring behaviors in the critical care unit are perceived as most important and least important by patients with myocardial infarction. A sample of 44 subjects responded to an open-ended question and an assessment scale, the Caring Behaviors Assessment. Two comparison groups of 22 subjects each were formed from the sample to determine if number of previous admissions to the critical care unit made a difference in perceptions of most important and least important nurse caring behaviors.; Descriptive statistics along with t-test, chi-square, and two-way analysis of variance were used to …

Changes In The Black/White Income Ratio, 1939-87, Melvin Keys

Masters Theses

The Black/white income ratio (BWIR) has increased steadily from 1939-87 for families with two incomes. Early-on, the income disparity was greatest for black females compared to black males. Because of race and sex discrimination, black females were lagging far behind society in wage differences. Today, the opposite is true, black males lag far behind black females in income: compared to their white counterparts. One of the reasons for such a large reversal in income differences maybe the opportunities that were available to black females in such occupations as teaching and nursing from 1940-75.

Migration, which looks at regional composition, was …

Feasibility Study For Special Education Services In Clark And Edgar Counties, Michael F. Watts

Masters Theses

The goal of this project was to determine if the eight local school districts in Clark and Edgar counties could provide special education services as effectively as the Eastern Illinois Special Education Cooperative. The study answered this question and provided the districts involved with sufficient data and analysis to recommend to their individual Boards of Education the way in which they would offer these services in the future. This project provided the districts with such alternatives to the current delivery system as to suggest the possibility that the centralized system of special education services has viable alternatives. Districts were able …

The Effect Of Various Plant Growth Regulators On Rough Turf At Coles County Airport, Jay C. A. Harnack

Masters Theses

A field test was conducted to determine the effectiveness of various concentrations of selected plant growth regulators. All PGR's were applied at various rates and combinations on rough turf at Coles County Airport, Charleston, Illinois.

The dominant grasses in the test site were bluegrass (Poa pratensis Huds.) and fescue (Poa pratensis L.).

The plant growth regulators were evaluated at regular intervals for the reduction of biomass, reduction of height, seedhead suppression, and color relative to control.

One third ounce per acre Escort in combination with 4 ounces per acre Embark was the most effective in reducing biomass accumulation followed by …

Recreational Sports Interests Of Faculty, Staff And Administration At Eastern Illinois University, Tammy J. Rees

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The Bryophytes Of Knox County, Illinois, Kurtis J. Cecil

Masters Theses

Field and herbarium studies conducted over an eleven month period found 84 taxa of bryophytes in Knox County. Included in this list are one hornwort (Class Anthocerotae), 15 liverworts (Class Hepaticae), and 68 mosses (Class Musci). Eighty-two species are new county records. Six previously unreported taxa produced during herbarium studies and one previous report were not relocated in the field. An annotated list provides collection data, location of voucher, and frequency of those species located in Knox County. A presettlement vegetation map is included to illustrate the location of collection sites.

The Relationship Between Elements Of Symbolism In Drawings And Language, Sarah Lynn Williams

Masters Theses

A relationship between the development of drawing skills and overall development has been well documented. Furthermore, a relationship between language development and drawing development has been suggested by a number of research findings. The research goal of this project is the following: to determine whether there is a predictable relationship between the elements of symbolism in drawing and language development.

Twenty-six children were given a standardized language assessment and a drawing assessment. The children were divided into two groups according to age. Language scores for Group 1 included the following Test of Language Development-Primary subtests (Newcomer & Hammill, 1982): picture …

Maintaining A High School Elective/Vocational Program With The Increase In College Entrance Requirements, Clyde W. Frankie

Masters Theses

This field experience examines how 21 selected Illinois unit district high schools have maintained their elective/vocational enrollments with the 1985 increase in college admission requirements. The 21 high schools identified had a student population between 700 and 1000. A questionnaire was sent to each school requesting information regarding their master schedule. Questions specifically requested data on number of class periods, length of class periods, number of graduation units, faculty teaching load, class maximums and minimums, and percent of college-bound students in respective schools. This data was analyzed through comparative data tables to identify potential solutions or trends high schools are …

An "Avowed Contradiction": Gender And Historical Instability In Clarissa, Jennifer C. Berkshire

Masters Theses

As one of the first novels written, Samuel Richardson's Clarissa serves as an important social text with which to examine the eighteenth century. Most theoretical studies of the emergence of novelistic discourse have interpreted the rise of the new genre as a reflection of other broader socio-economic changes. This study focuses on the role of the novel in bringing about such changes--in articulating particular attitudes, beliefs, and opinions that have come to be associated with the middle class. The study involves an examination of Clarissa, Lovelace, and the Harlowe family as representatives of particular ideologies, or understandings of history, with …

Patients' Perceptions Of Being Prepared For Self-Care Following Discharge From An Acute Care Setting, Linda L. Lawton

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to evaluate patients' perceptions of being prepared for discharge from an acute care setting. An instrument to look at patient perceptions of discharge preparation in 10 categories was developed. Orem's self-care model provided the conceptual basis for this study.; The study used a convenience sample of 146 adult patients hospitalized for 24 hours or more on a 35 bed surgical unit. Data were collected via telephone interviews on the third day following discharge. Perceived preparation was measured using a 5 point Likert scale.; The findings indicated a positive perception of being prepared for …

Relationships Of Osteoporosis Health Beliefs To Practiced Exercise Behaviors Of Women, Sandra J. Esch

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of health beliefs contained in the Health Belief Model to practiced exercise behavior of women. A descriptive correlation design was used with a convenience sample of 201 women. The revised version of the Osteoporosis Health Belief Exercise Scale developed by Kim, Horan, Gendler and Patel (1991b) was used to measure health beliefs related to osteoporosis. The ARIC/Baecke questionnaire of Habitual Physical Activity was used to measure life style physical activity. Health motivation and exercise benefits were found to be positively correlated to exercise behavior. However, susceptibility and exercise barriers were …

Perceived And Actual Level Of Knowledge Of Diabetes Mellitus Among Nurses, Gayla M. Kupris

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe and compare staff nurses perceived and actual levels of knowledge of diabetes mellitus. Little research has been done to study perceived diabetes knowledge.; This study used a descriptive correlational design. A convenience sample of 60 staff nurses from a 248 bed suburban teaching hospital was surveyed. The Diabetes Self-Report Tool (Drass, Muir-Nash, Boykin, Turek, & Baker, 1989), was used to assess staff nurses' perceived level of diabetes knowledge. The Diabetes: Basic Knowledge Test (Drass, et al., 1989), was used to measure actual level of diabetes knowledge. Subjects were found to have an …

Nursing Participation In Hospital Decision-Making, Sylvia J. Simons

Masters Theses

Nurse administrators may participate in predicting organizational trends and planning at various organizational levels, however, the degree of actual participation of the nurse administrator in hospital decision-making is a relatively new area of investigation. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used to investigate the differences between nurse administrators' actual and preferred participation in hospital decision-making. A stratified random sample of 60 nurse executives and 60 nurse managers was selected from the Michigan Organization of Nurse Executives' membership list. The overall response rate was 67% (N = 81). Data were obtained from individual nurses by questionnaires. The responses from the nurse …

Relationships Of Osteoporosis Health Beliefs To Calcium Intake Of Women, Mary C. Peterson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of health beliefs to calcium intake of women. Two hypotheses were tested: (1) There is a positive relationship between the strength of health beliefs related to susceptibility, seriousness, benefits and motivation and the level of calcium intake. (2) There is a negative relationship between the strength of health beliefs related to barriers and calcium intake.; The study was conducted using a descriptive correlational design. The sample included 201 women between the ages of 35 and 95. The study used the Osteoporosis Health Belief Calcium Scale to measure health beliefs about …

Americans Define Themselves In The New World, Judith Richards

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to show how the different groups who settled in the English American colonies which later became the United States described themselves during the colonial period. The focal work is Letters from an American Farmer by Hector St. John de Crevecoeur. In his chapter "What is an American?" Crevecoeur goes into detail in his descriptions of settlers living in the American colonies just before the Revolutionary War.

Crevecoeur's descriptions are compared with those of earlier writers who wrote at the time of settlement. These writers are selected to be representative of their colony or region. …