Digital Commons Network^™

Mark Twain's Confidence Men, Sharon K. Scruton

Masters Theses

In Mark Twain's literature the confidence man has special talents, but he is also subject to human failings. Through the characters of Huck Finn and Hank Morgan (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court) Twain exposes the traps into which a con artist, as a creative talent, can fall. Twain knows these traps, both from experience and from fears of what the future holds. Hank Morgan becomes an extension of Huckleberry Finn. He is a figure who, as he progresses, leaves the best talent of a con artist behind--the talent of instinct. The natural abilities of insight and …

The Effects Of Test-Taking Instruction Upon The Test Scores Of Students Labeled As Learning Disabled, Deborah Wolfson

Masters Theses

A multiple-baseline design was used to investigate the effects of test-taking instruction upon the social studies test scores of four seventh grade students labeled as learning disabled. This two-phased (baseline and post-intervention) study ran for two semesters and included 14 test entries. All the tests were administered in the subjects' social studies class and scored by the subjects' social studies teacher. The teacher was not informed as to the nature of this study while it was in progress. The 10- day, individually instructed intervention package included activities in (a) test preparation (b) general test-taking principles (c) clue words (d) following …

The Diplomacy Of William Jennings Bryan, Patricia Sue Chism

Masters Theses

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) was Secretary of State for the first two years of the administration of Woodrow Wilson, from 1913 to 1915. During that time he sought to implement his views of diplomacy which were based upon his political and religious beliefs. His emergence on the national political scene in 1896 had been based upon his commitment to the welfare of common man which was inherent in his espousal of Populist principles. As Secretary of State he promoted policies, especially in Latin America, designed to advance the democratic form of government, which he believed best served the interests of …

"Four Dreams": A Chamber Symphony, Richard Pauley

Masters Theses

"Four Dreams" is a four-movement work for chamber orchestra. It was composed between January and May, 1985, in Charleston, Illinois. Elements from different style periods are used in the composition. Modal harmony, whose origins date back to the Middle Ages, is prevalent. Imitative devices associated with Renaissance and Baroque music are also employed, as well as such Twentieth Century techniques as dodecaphony and polychord writing. It is the first symphonic work by the composer. It is suitable for performance on the college or professional level. Its duration is approximately 18 minutes.

The Law And Mark Twain, Jeff Andrew Weigel

Masters Theses

Varying concepts of law are an essential part in many of Mark Twain's works. Twain's position as an observer and critic of society is often reflected by the way he represents law and justice in his stories. His dislike of injustice and cruelty caused him to focus on these "legal" problems as a way of revealing and attacking various injustices in society. My thesis examines Twain's perception of law as he exposes it in Roughing It, Pudd'nhead Wilson, The Prince and the Pauper, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. The general objective of my …

Mammals At Hidden Springs State Forest, Shelby County, Illinois, Leslie L. Clapp

Masters Theses

A survey of the mammals at Hidden Springs State Forest (HSSF) in Shelby County, Illinois was conducted from May 1 to November 18, 1984. The survey was designed to determine the species and relative abundance of mammals associated with major habitat types of the Forest based on area walk-through surveys, streamside surveys, mist net surveys, snaptrap/pitfall surveys, and a hunter questionaire. A total of 26 mammal species were found associated with various habitats within the Forest and an additional four species were reported within Shelby County. One species, the southeastern shrew (Sorex longirostris) had not previously been reported …

Some Factors Affecting Male Back Space Availability In The Water Bug Belostoma Flumineum Say, Amanda M. Vandenburgh

Masters Theses

Various factors affecting the availability of male back space in the giant water bug, Belostoma flumineum Say, are described herein and interpreted in a manner consistent with natural selection theory. Newly emerged males are observed to breed and accept eggs sooner than newly emerged females develop an egg clutch: furthermore, newly emerged males were shown to contain motile sperm on the day of adult emergence. Newly emerged females did not contain any mature eggs until approximately six days old. It was also found that newly emerged females manufacture eggs at a linear rate of 4.8 eggs per day. Egg length …

A Comparison Of The Acidic Extracellular Polysaccharides From Rhizobium Trifolii Mutants Affected In Trifolium Repens Root Hair Curling, Brian Andrew Hanley

Masters Theses

The compositions and sugar linkages of the acidic extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) from several Rhizobium trifolii mutants were compared. These mutants were derived from a wild type Rhizobium trifolii, ANU843, and are unable to cause normal root hair curling, Hac-, or nodulate clover, Nod-. Three of the mutants contain a Tn5 insertion in a 5.3 kb BglII fragment of the symbiotic plasmid (pSym). A fourth mutant is missing the pSym, which includes much of the 5.3 kb BglII fragment, both of these deletions result in Hac-Nod- phenotypes. When the 5.3 kb BglII fragment is cloned (pRT150) and reinserted into the …

Policies And Procedures On The Use Of Corporal Punishment In The Clay, Jasper, And Richland Educational Service Region, Clifford E. Jones

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine policies and procedures on the use of corporal punishment in public schools. Specifically, this study reviewed current literature, statute law, court decisions, agency regulations, and research to develop sound recommended policies and procedures on possible use of corporal punishment in schools. Furthermore, a needs assessment was conducted of the six public school districts in the Clay, Jasper, and Richland Educational Service Region to ascertain current policies and procedures.

A review of literature and research revealed only minimal information regarding recommended policies and procedures for physical punishment. Therefore, the field experience involved, to …

A Case Study Of The Management Of New Packaging Technologies, Richard Kirk Maguire

Masters Theses

"There has been a growing interest by industry in the functions of packaging management as packaging is being recognized as a greater factor in the overall success of a company.

This is a case study on the packaging management structure of one company and how the introduction of new packaging technology is handled by that company. The case study follows the history of the packaging department of the company and examines the current structure of the department. The study goes on to analyze the department's methods for handling old and new technologies and the reasons for doing so. A closer …

Complex Reactions In Porous Media, Dar-Sen Horng

Masters Theses

"The dusty-gas model is used to describe the molar fluxes of complex irreversible reactions with moles changes in isothermal porous catalysts.

The model presented in this work can be used for any number of independent reactions occurring in porous media as long as the number of independent reactions is equal to or less than the total number of species.

Systems of two parallel reactions involving a ternary mixture is used in this work. Five sets of reaction parameters are used for each reaction system and the overall selectivity and effectiveness factors are calculated for different geometric constants.

Results show that …

Stress And Stress Management Among Geoscientists In The U.S. Petroleum Industry, August 1984: An Analysis, Ann M. Hagni

Masters Theses

"For the past three years, employment in the petroleum industry has declined significantly. This, along with many other factors, has created a potentially stressful situation similar to the petroleum industry recession of the late 1950s. A four page "Stress Questionnaire" mailed to 1000 geoscientists in the U.S. petroleum industry in August, 1984, concludes that geoscientists appear to be coping very well with their potentially stressful situation.

These geoscientists rated themselves considerably up-to-date with respect to their professional discipline and show a strong need to grow and develop. They are very personally involved in their work and at least some of …

Alteration In Growth And Development: A Nursing Diagnosis Validation Study, Cynthia Peltier Coviak

Masters Theses

A professional profile questionnaire and a case study questionnaire depicting a child with delayed development was mailed to 200 nurses of the Michigan Nurses Association Division of Maternal and Child Health. Of the 60 respondents, 27 (45.8%) indicated a diagnosis in the category of altered development as primary diagnosis for the child and 50 (83.3%) indicated a diagnosis in this category as either primary or secondary diagnosis for the child.

Expertise scores based on level of education attained, years of experience in maternal-child health and in nursing, and experience with children were found to be significantly related to diagnosis of …

Recipients Of A Parents Supporting Parents Program: Commonalities And Concerns, Joyce Derhammer

Masters Theses

This descriptive study was one component of a research project conducted at a large medical center in the midwest. The purpose of this study was to identify common characteristics and perceived concerns, with their relationships, of a population of parents who had received a volunteer parents supporting parents (P.S.P.) service. This service was offered to new parents in an attempt to increase the potential for positive parenting.

Common characteristics found in this group of P.S.P. recipients were: married, first baby, mid-twenties in age, mentally and physically healthy with positive feelings about their own parents, their labor and delivery, and this …

The Relationship Between Social Support, Coping Style, And Emotional Status Among Individuals With Cancer, Undergoing Chemotherapy, Dina I. Hamati

Masters Theses

A cross section descriptive study was conducted to examine the relationship between social support, coping style, and emotional status among individuals with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. A questionnaire schedule consisting of social support, coping style, and emotional status was administered to subjects during their office visits to an oncologist. No significant relationships were found between social support, coping style, and emotional status. A significant correlation was found between those patients who had more affection, affirmation, and aid from their support system and the amount of guilt experienced by those patients (p = .05).

Patients who did not finish high school used …

The Effect Of Electrodes On The Thermally Stimulated Currents In Sodium Silicate Glass, Ruth Mogrovejo Cuzmar

Masters Theses

“Electrodes play an important role in the study of alkali ion motion in glasses when TSPC/TSDC techniques are used. Silver, gold and combinations of them were used in the study of Na⁺ motion in Na₂O·3SIO₂ glass. The lower temperature peak is not affected by any of these electrodes, so it is attributed to the bulk glass. A second and third peak are strongly dependent on the kind of electrode used. A gold anode is a blocking electrode, and a gold cathode, is partially blocking. There is a tendency for a space charge polarization to form when …

Sintering Of Catio₃ With The Addition Of Caco₃ And Lif, Surapol Pleekram

Masters Theses

"The densification of CaTiO₃ with the addition of 4.74, 5.90, 6.88 mol% CaCO₃ and 22 mol% LiF was investigated over the temperature range 800° to 1050°C, for sintering times ranging from 1 to 216 hours. It was found that CaCO₃ reacts with LiF and to form a liquid at a temperature of about 450°C. This liquid enhances the densification of CaTiO₃ . The densification process was followed by making weight loss, shrinkage and porosity measurements. The microstructural development was determined by scanning electron microscope examination of both fractured and polished surfaces. X-ray diffraction and DTA/TGA were …

An Evaluation Of Magnetic Field Shielding And Cross Talk For Various Cable Configurations, Amir Hossein Nafar

Masters Theses

"The effect of shield grounding on magnetic field coupling in coaxial and twisted pair cables, was studied for various positions of the ground connection at 50 KHz. For the case of only one end of shield grounded the attenuation was about 60 dB. Furthermore, the effect of frequency from 50-500 KHz was considered on three cases. Thus it was concluded that attenuation increases as frequency increases. A combined experimental and analytical investigation was also conducted to characterize the mechanism of cross talk between wires of ribbon cable and traces on printed circuit boards. Inductive and capacitive coupling were studied in …

The Effect Of The Degree Of Saturation On The Permeability Of A Compacted Clay To Organic Permeants, Mark Alan Harms

Masters Theses

"Relationships for permeability of kaolinite versus degree of saturation and permeability versus flow are developed for 0.005 N calcium sulphate, xylene and aniline permeants using the triaxial flexible wall permeameter. The clay was statically compacted at degrees of saturation of 50%, 75% and 100%. A gradient of 277 was used for the permeability tests.

The initial degree of saturation was inversely related to the permeability of the clay. Saturated clay samples were found to be virtually impervious to aniline and xylene. As the degree of saturation decreased, the permeability increased with the initial volume of flow equivalent to the volume …

Industrial Simulation With Animation, Edward T. Hammerand

Masters Theses

"This thesis examines and evaluates the new simulation language PCModel. Prior to the arrival of PCModel, simulation via computer typically resulted in pages of statistics compiled over the duration of the simulation. PCModel's approach is to simulate the model on the display before the user in real time. Additionally, user interaction is supported to allow changes to be made throughout the simulation run.

The evaluation of PCModel is accomplished through inspection of a pair of examples already simulated in a conventional simulation language. The examples show the relative strong and weak points of the language, as well as demonstrating how …

Approximating An Image: Beauty Among Female University Students, Gamine Beth Meckel

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Handmaidens Of God: The Female Figures Judith, Juliana, And Elene In Old English Heroic Poetry, Anita Obermeier Hodge

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Desperate Laughter, Sara Farris

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The United States And West German Rearmament 1950-1955, Hans R. Velten

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Knowledge And Attitudes Of College Freshmen On Selected Consumer Redress Topics, Rebecca J. Benedict

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Keyboarding: Computer-Assisted Method Of Instruction Versus The Traditional Method Of Instruction, David D. Collins

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to determine if seventh and eighth grade students could develop keyboarding on the microcomputer using the computer-assisted method of instruction with minimal teacher interaction as effectively as students on electric typewriters using the traditional method of instruction. Specifically, an effort was made to determine the following difference between the computer-assisted method of instruction group and the traditional method of instruction group: gross words typed on straight-copy timed writings per minute, number of errors made on straight-copy timed writings, and technique on straight-copy. The data were made up of gross word per minute and accuracy scores on …

A Study Of Age Discrimination In Job Hiring, Kim M. Beystehner

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

The North American Distribution Of The Cladonia Cryptochlorophaea Asah. Population Containing The Para-Depside Atranorin As An Accessory Substance, Paul Raymond Lock

Masters Theses

An examination by thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of herbarium material and collections from Missouri and Arkansas of the cup-shaped lichen Cladonia cryptochlorophaea Asah. was used to determine the North American distribution of the population containing the para-depside atranorin. This atranorin containing variant was originally reported by Cunningham (1982) in Coles and Clark Counties of Illinois with further studies by Wilcer (1984) in Illinois, western Indiana and southern Wisconsin.

A total of 181 specimens of Cladonia cryptochlorophaea Asah. were examined for the para-depside atranorin using TLC. Herbarium material was supplied for study from both the Smithsonian Institute, Washington, D. C., and Eastern …

A Study To Determine The Extent Of A Justification For A Building Bond Referendum In Mt. Zion, Illinois, Robert Herrmann

Masters Theses

The purpose of this field study was to determine the extent of a justification for a bond referendum that would provide the funds for additional facilities for the Mt. Zion High School. This study is concerned with the action taken to achieve that goal.

An overview of the community's history with regard to education was relevant to understanding the importance of education in this community. The problem that faced the community was overcrowded facilities and lack of updated curriculum. A growth in population was addressed in terms of its impact on the educational facilities at the high school.

This field …

Employment Trends And The Population Identified As Visually Impaired, Donna Mumford-Hinrichsen

Masters Theses

In an effort to obtain careers that are competitive, with advancement opportunities, persons identified as visually impaired have been blocked by attitudinal barriers of society. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of employer attitudes on employment opportunities for persons who are visually impaired in competition with individuals who are sighted. The population surveyed was a group of 200 employers of accountants field in the state of Illinois. The study was conducted using a questionnaire and a set of eight resumes of fictional individuals. Employers received packets containing the materials and were asked to review the resumes …