Digital Commons Network^™

Relative Sensitivities Of Diatoms To Selected Heavy Metals, Jennifer E. Carlson

Masters Theses

Baseline data, including diatom community structure, metal concentrations of water, sediments and periphyton of the Embarras River were determined previously (Vaultonburg, 1991). Data on diatom community structure in conjunction with efforts to identify relative sensitivity of diatoms may be useful in establishing an effective method for biomonitoring metal pollution in the Embarras River and other aquatic systems. The main objectives of this project were: i) develop a bioassay method; ii) evaluate relative toxicities of several metals towards diatoms; and, iii) evaluate relative sensitivities of diatoms toward dissolved metals.

Unialgal cultures of Cyclotella meneghiniana, Navicula vaucheriae, and Nitzschia palea were isolated …

The Concept Of The Local In Williams' Developing Poetics: The Poet's Perception And Representation Of The Poor, Jon Montgomery

Masters Theses

The present study serves as a thematic, critical perspective on William Carlos Williams' poetry on the poor; specifically, I address his representation of the poor in his poetry and his attitude towards them. From 1914-38, his attitude towards the poor goes through three significant stages of change. Roughly, the stage boundaries can be marked by decade: the 1910s, the 1920s and the 1930s.

In the first stage, Williams recognizes his empathetic and aesthetic distance from the poor, since his aesthetics rest primarily on his youthful fascination with Keats. The poet desires to reflect properly the lives of the poor. The …

From Tragedy To Hope: A Study Of The Parallels In The Thought Of Samuel Johnson And T.S. Eliot, Thomas Daniel Mcgrath

Masters Theses

In this paper, the similarities between Samuel Johnson and T.S. Eliot are explored. Both men opposed the optimism with which their contemporary intellectuals had begun to regard humanity and its possibility for fulfillment on earth. While Johnson was from the 18th century, and Eliot from the 20th, the intellectual movements of their day bore a similar tone. The reaction of these two men was also similar.

Johnson and Eliot presented in their writing a similar view of the emptiness of human experience. This is most apparent in Johnson's The History of Rasselas and Eliot's The Waste Land, and the …

Perceptions Of School Staff And Community Of Student Needs And Community Characteristics Which May Affect Student Learning, David I. Wilson

Masters Theses

This study was designed to assess the perceptions of the staff and community of Odin Elementary School and Odin High School of student needs and community characteristics which may affect student learning. Specifically, the purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of school staff and community regarding student needs and community characteristics which may affect student learning.

The surveys for this study were designed by the researcher with information taken from materials issued by the Illinois State Board of Education. Thirty-one elementary staff members and 25 high school staff members provided staff data. One hundred-thirty community members provided …

Teacher Employment Practices In Small High Schools In East Central Illinois, Fredrick P. Wheeler

Masters Theses

This project gathered information about the teacher employment practices recommended by the literature and research, used in small high schools in Illinois Educational Service Region 26, and used in Martinsville High School, Martinsville, Illinois. The literature identified nine basic areas in which to divide the selection process. It suggested that district personnel (a) make teacher employment a top priority commitment, (b) be familiar with the legal implications of teacher employment, (c) develop appropriate and specific criteria for the position, (d) make sure expectations are realistic, (e) choose recruiting sources carefully, (f) collect candidate information, (g) continuously refine and improve interviewing …

The Development Of A Plan To Prepare For The Quality Review Visit Under The Illinois Public School Recognition System, Michael L. Stivers

Masters Theses

This study examined the development of a School Improvement Plan for the Oblong School District in preparation for a Quality Review visit. The Illinois State Board of Education was mandated by legislation pasted in 1984 and 1992 to evaluate the School Improvement Plan of each school district in Illinois. The steps taken to properly prepare for the Quality Review visit were documented in the study. The recommendations detailed in the paper were developed at the completion of the Quality Review visit and reflect the suggestions of the Quality Review Team. The suggestions outlined in the study should make the process …

An Exemplary Early Childhood Program: Program Directors' Perspectives, Anita K. Pond

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field experience was to develop exemplary guidelines for the implementation of an early childhood program. A survey of 78 early childhood programs in Southern Illinois was conducted. Participants surveyed were asked to respond to questions relating to the early childhood staff, screening and assessment procedures, the policy manual, meeting the needs of each child, parental involvement and the program director. In addition, a review of current literature associated with early childhood programs was presented. Included in the review of literature were books and articles related to the multiple components necessary to create an exemplary early childhood …

Computer Education Needs And Usage In Bond, Fayette, And Effingham Counties, Derrold D. Jones

Masters Theses

This study focused on the availability of and use of computer hardware and software by high school students. The students researched lived within the area served by Okaw Area Vocational Center, which includes Bond, Fayette, and Effingham Counties in Illinois. Parents, educators, and persons from business and industry were surveyed to determine educational needs and expectations related to computer use. Survey results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlational procedures. This study was developed to assist the Okaw Vocational Center area schools in the development of curricula based on technological data. The findings of this study support reference being made …

The Synthesis And Characterization Of Ruii(Bpy){(Bpyrm)Ruii(Nh3)4}2](Pf6)6 And [Ruii(Bpy)2(Bpyrm)Ruii(Nh3)4](Pf6)4, Rick Anthony Pavinato

Masters Theses

This thesis describes the synthesis of a trimetallic Ru^II complex [Ru^II(bpy){(bpyrm)Ru^II(NH₃)₄}₂](PF₆)₆ and its bimetallic analog [Ru^II(bpy)₂(bpyrm)Ru^II(NH₃)₄](PF₆)₄. The trimetallic species was designed to be the first in a series of complexes where the reduction potential of the "bridging" complex could be varied (relative to the "terminal" sites) through systematic variation in the metal (M) and/or ligand (LL) … Generation of the [Ru^II-M^II-Ru^III] "mixed-valence" complex would then allow …

An Evaluation Of Benthic Macroinvertebrate Community Structure And Sediment Toxicity In Lake Taylorville, Sanhita Datta

Masters Theses

Sediments act as a "sink" for xenobiotics which can be accumulated by a variety of organisms and thereby enter the food chain contaminating fish, wildlife and humans. Although the chemical nature of these substances can be known by direct chemical analysis of the sediments, the significance of the contaminants and their bioavailability should be determined through bioassay techniques. A survey of the benthic macroinvertebrates of Lake Taylorville, a reservoir in central Illinois which is fed by two rivers that drain a primarily agricultural area, revealed a rather depauperate fauna. Subsequent studies were conducted in order to identify the underlying cause …

Training Profiles Of Collegiate Swimmers: A Survey Of Ncaa Division I, Ii, And Iii Coaches About Their Male Freestyle Swimmers During The 1993-94 Swimming Season, Sean M. Cabbage

Masters Theses

The lack of information about how the majority of college swimming teams train encouraged the author to conduct the following study.

A cover letter and questionnaire, regarding training methods, were sent to all 377 NCAA men's swimming coaches (Division I, II, and III) in the United States, as listed in the 1993-94 NCAA Directory. Approximately 50 percent of all surveys were returned with an equal response rate from each of the respective divisions.

Questions regarded team division and size, the coaches experience level and recent training changes, months of peak training during the 1993-94 collegiate season, peak training volume and …

Zooplankton Community Structure As A Function Of Abiotic And Biotic Factors Prior To A Multiphased Restoration Effort, John H. Ensign Jr.

Masters Theses

Lake Taylorville, an impoundment on the South Fork of the Sangamon River, is located just south of Taylorville in Christian County, Illinois. The tributaries of this reservoir drain primarily agricultural areas and contribute to degradation of the reservoir through excessive sediment and nutrient loading. A restoration project is underway which involves construction of sediment basins and dry dams. Analysis of the crustacean zooplankton community has formed an integral part of an intensive limnological investigation of the reservoir during the initial stages of the restoration effort. Seasonal variation in the composition, and density of the major groups was observed. Rotifers (Brachionus …

A Teacher Induction Program For Small, Rural School Districts In Illinois, Michael H. Schmidt

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify elements commonly found in existing new teacher induction programs and incorporate those elements into an induction program that could be implemented almost exclusively by a single building level administrator. The information was obtained through an examination of existing literature and contacts with current practitioners who were involved in induction activities.

Survey instruments were provided for participating administrators and the new teachers in their buildings. The surveys identified elements of the existing program and the perceived importance of those elements from the perspectives of the administrator and the teacher.

The information collected from …

Carbonyl Homologation Via Α-Trimethylsilyl Β-Lactone Rearrangement: A Nonbasic Wittig Alternative, Yong Zhang

Masters Theses

Our research group has been interested in β-lactones as useful synthetic intermediates. Transformations of β-lactones, generally ring expansion/opening processes initiated by Lewis acids via ionization/cation-rearrangement or elimination mechanisms, provide efficient protocols for the syntheses of biologically important butyrolactones, β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids, or butenolides.

α-Trimethylsilyl β-lactones, synthesized via the BF₃- catalyzed [2+2] cycloaddition of trimethylsilylketene to carbonyl compounds, spontaneously undergo ionization and trimethylsilyl group migration to form α,β-unsaturated trimethylsilyl esters. The trimethylsilyl moiety facilitates the ionization process because of its β-cation stabilizing ability. The two-carbon homologated α,β-unsaturated acids are formed in yields from moderate to high (41-99%) upon aqueous …

Educational Service Center #17'S Fy92 Scientific Literacy Program, Marilyn Holt

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate Illinois Educational Service Center #17's Scientific Literacy Program for FY92. Objectives utilized to address this problem were:

1. To determine the effectiveness of the staff development delivered in FY92 which emphasized hands-on approaches to teaching physics concepts to students in grades K-8.

2. To determine the effectiveness of the staff development delivered in FY92 which emphasized hands-on approaches to teaching mathematic concepts to students in grades K-6.

3. To determine the effectiveness of the staff development delivered in FY92 which emphasized hands-on approaches to teaching science process concepts to students in grades …

Frequency Of Attainment Of Plateau In Maximal Oxygen Consumption In Differentially Trained Athletes, Jeffrey Michael Seda

Masters Theses

A plateau in oxygen consumption during exercise testing has been considered a requisite indicator of achievement of true maximal oxygen consumption. The wide range of reported percentages of subjects revealing a plateau (7 to 80 percent) indicates that closer analysis of factors that may influence plateau attainment is necessary. This study examined the frequency of plateau attainment in two groups of differentially trained subjects. One group (TR) of 12 males (ages 18-36) were trained runners and the other group (WL) of 12 males (ages 18-31) consisted of trained weight lifters. The subjects participated in a series of maximal exercise tests …

Field Study On Quality Review In Illinois, Melinda Brookens Ostergren

Masters Theses

The Illinois State Recognition Program, otherwise known as Quality Review, has stringent rules for documenting compliance with requirements regarding information on student demographics, outcomes, assessment standards, expectations, plans for improvement, and reporting that information to the public in a meaningful way. This field study provides new formats for the scoring rubric and auditors' Interpretive Key for the state rules and regulations which make them easier to understand. In addition, it offers model forms for record-keeping so that preparing for an audit visit can be done efficiently, but it offers no solutions to the complex problem of generating change by altering …

The Transformation Of Immanence: From The Augustinian Faith Of Henry Vaughan To The Rationalist Faith Of S.T. Coleridge, Tristum M. Ryan

Masters Theses

The present study focuses on the conception of immanence and the manner in which it evolved from the seventeenth century, as represented in Henry Vaughan's Silex Scintillans, to the nineteenth century, as represented in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's nature poetry and his collection of letters, Confessions of an Inquiring Spirit. Vaughan's conception of a basic immanence of reflected divinity in nature evolved, over the course of two hundred years, into Coleridge's version of an immanence based on reason. These two different conceptions of immanence in part formed the basis of the respective faiths of Vaughan and Coleridge. Vaughan's traditional Augustinian faith …

Burnout And Job Dissatisfaction Among Practicing Illinois School Psychologists, Kathryn M. Niebrugge

Masters Theses

Survey materials including a Maslach Burnout Inventory, a School Psychologists Stress Inventory, and specially designed demographic and job satisfaction questionnaires were completed by a random sample of members of the Illinois School Psychologists Association (N=139). Results suggested that symptoms of burnout frequently occur among this group of professionals. Although job related stressors (e.g. lack of resources, time management) were related to burnout, demographic factors (e.g. satisfaction with supervision, case discrepancy index) were found to be the best predictors of burnout. Results suggest that supervising psychologists are considered to be primary figures in resistance to burnout. Further research could aid in …

The Relative Weight (Wr) Condition Index As A Predictor Of Growth, Prey Abundance And Environmental Conditions, Hongsheng Liao

Masters Theses

We evaluated the relative weight (W_r) condition index for assessment of growth, prey availability and environmental conditions in fish populations. Standard weight (W_s) equations for pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) and golden shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) from 302 pumpkinseed and 285 golden shiner populations, with well over 10,000 fish of each species, were developed with regression-line-percentile (RLP) technique. The proposed W_s equation in metric units for pumpkinseed is log₁₀W_s = -5.179 + 3.237 log10TL, and for golden shiner is log10W_s = -5.593 + 3.302 log10TL. The English-unit versions of these equations were also developed. …

Artificial Cavity Box Use By Eastern Screech Owl, Otus Asio, Lori A. Davis

Masters Theses

Screech owl use of 29 artificial cavity boxes placed in wooded habitat on a 14.6 hectare study area in east central Illinois was monitored from 1975 through 1993. A total of 28 screech owls were captured a total of 155 times. Two to 4 adults were usually present and 3 broods were reared in the boxes. The time between first and last capture of birds taken 4 or more times ranged from 270 to 2589 days (average 1740 days). Home range of 5 owls captured 8 to 17 times ranged from 0.45 to 6.0 ha. Cavity boxes were used more …

A Rhetorical Analysis Of The Persian Gulf Debates, Daniel F. Hickey

Masters Theses

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to analyze selected senatorial speeches for and against using military force against Iraq.

Hypothesis

It was hypothesized that Richard Weaver's hierarchy of argument will provide a useful framework for the identification of arguments and philosophical inclination of the speakers.

Materials

The primary documents comprising this study were the four speeches found in Vital Speeches of the Day by Senator Robert Dole (R-KS), Senator George Mitchell (D-ME), Senator John C. Danforth (R-MO), and Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA). All were delivered in the Senate between January 10-12, 1991. The speakers chosen were well-respected members of …

The Relationship Between Ca And Humor, Michael Sean Mcmurtry

Masters Theses

Research has shown that communication apprehension is seen as a negative effect of speaking in public as well as in other situations. The nervous and anxious feelings experienced in these contexts take away from understanding and add to the breakdown of interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, humor is found to be an excellent coping mechanism to deal with embarrassing and fear-related anxieties and it adds to group cohesiveness. The relationship between CA and humor was of investigated to determine what effects CA has on humor and how well the use of humorous messages alleviates the problems associated with CA. …

A Study Of Required Educational Preparation And Role Of Entry Level Public Relations Practitioners: A National Educator And Practitioner Perspective, Kristin Mary Oelke

Masters Theses

The public relations profession is in a constant state of change, and it doesn't have a clear definition. Without having a clear understanding of public relations, it is difficult to know exactly how to prepare college students who aspire to become public relations practitioners for the profession.

Moreover, there is only limited public relations research and literature regarding the required educational preparation and role of entry-level practitioners. Therefore, due to the limited literature, this study was conducted, in general, to learn more about the required educational preparation and role of entry-level PR practitioners and, specifically, to test the following three …

An Evaluation Of Pre-Intake Attention On Kept Intake Appointments In An Outpatient Setting, Lauren Roberts

Masters Theses

The present study attempted to reduce the no-show rate for scheduled intake appointments at a local CMHC through the use of two interventions. Thirty-seven subjects who called for an intake appointment were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: an Orientation and Standard Intake Procedure or an Orientation and Modified Intake Procedure. Both treatment groups were compared to a Base Group consisting of intake appointments scheduled during the same time period the previous year. Individuals assigned to OMIP revealed a reduction in the no-show rate from 51% during baseline to 36%. Individuals assigned to OSIP did not reveal similar …

A Burkean Analysis Of The Rhetoric Of Sexual Harassment: An Examination Of The Polarization Of Attitudes Related To Consensual Relationships On Campus, Loretta Lovelace Wiman

Masters Theses

A history of sexual harassment traces the recognition and development of the issue as a social problem in the workplace and on college campuses. A review of research literature reveals both percentages of students involved and the effects on those students of academic or teacher/student sexual harassment. A brief overview of institutional policy statements shows that some colleges/universities have responded to the issue with a ban on all consensual amorous relationships between teachers and students; some ban such relationships only when a supervisory relationship also exists, and some do neither. Some policies include sanctions on those who violate bans; others …

From Innocence To Experience In William Blake's The Book Of Thel And The Visions Of The Daughters Of Albion, Ann B. Moutray

Masters Theses

My thesis focuses on William Blake's challenge of the conventional Christianity of his time and his questioning of what he perceived as the hypocritical moral codes of the Church of England. Blake blames these codes for dominating and imprisoning humanity by preventing individuals from acting through their use of the imagination. For Blake, the imagination does not simply imply a creation of the imaginative faculty; instead, it refers to an imagination that is transforming and that becomes a measure of salvation and deliverance from the man-made codes that imprison humanity. These codes, while originating from and propagated by the Church …

Robert Frost And Maya Angelou: Poet-As-Rhetor In The Presidential Inauguration: Textual Symbols And The Symbol Of Enactment, Donna M. Witmer

Masters Theses

This criticism uses an organic approach to examine the rhetorical properties of Frost's and Angelou's inaugural poems and their individual enactments respective of the constraints and exigencies in the Presidential inaugurations of Kennedy and Clinton. Apparently responding to the constraints of television's sound bite as well as to exigencies of the traditional inauguration and the need to serve a new generation and a culturally diverse population, the Clinton Administration combined the poetic form, used to heighten an emotional response, with an enactment as a synecdochic symbol, used to assert sociopolitical ideology.

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 …

A Fabric Unravelled: The Rise Of Party Politics In York, England, 1679-88, Vernon A. Mcguffee

Masters Theses

Many historians are engaged in a debate over whether party politics emerged in England before 1688. Perhaps the most prominent current conflict is between Jonathan Scott and Tim Harris. Scott believes that, despite ideological foundations, political parties could not exist before 1688 because of their lack of organization. Harris, on the other hand, argues that parties were indeed organized, and this organization revolved primarily around religion. Harris charges historians to examine the political structures of the localities to help resolve the debate. This thesis does just that. It looks at England's second city, York, from 1679-88 and addresses the question …