Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Time Perspective In The College Major Selection Process, Anders C. Voss

Masters Theses

This phenomenological study examined the experiences of formerly undeclared college sophomores as they navigated major selection and how their time perspective influenced their decision-making process. This study applied time perspective theory to the issue of major selection for college students, an undertaking that offers a new perspective on the professional practices of academic advising and career services on college campuses. This study utilized semi-structured interviews of four female-identifying formerly undeclared students. Participant responses revealed that negative future time attitudes and a lack of future orientation can both contribute to behaviors that defer career decision-making. In contrast, professional staff and faculty …

Assessing The Knowledge On Sustainability And Barriers To Daily Sustainable Practices Among Faculty And Students In Higher Education: The Case Of Eastern Illinois University, Joel Edem Holison

Masters Theses

The concept of sustainable development gained prominence with the publication of the Brundtland Report, which emphasized economic progress without jeopardizing future generations' well-being. Following that, the Education for Sustainability (EfS) program was created by the United Nations to raise sustainability awareness. However, the transition to sustainable living is fraught with difficulties, including a lack of knowledge, financial constraints, infrastructure gaps, and political ideologies. This study focuses on sustainable practices among Eastern Illinois University (EIU) students and faculty, as well as the barriers to daily sustainable behaviors. As independent variables influencing sustainable practices, the study evaluates sustainability knowledge/awareness, personal financial situation, …

Compassion Fatigue Among Resident Assistants At Five Illinois Public Institutions : A Mixed Methods Approach, Téa E. Wheat

Masters Theses

Compassion fatigue, a stress response caused by helping those who have experienced trauma, is a rapidly rising problem for student affairs professionals (Carter, 2019). Among student affairs professionals and paraprofessionals, the resident assistant (RA) is potentially one of the most susceptible populations to compassion fatigue, due to working where they live, which creates a constant need to be on. In addition, they are expected to support students who are increasingly presenting with mental health challenges. This explanatory mixed methods method study sought to first determine the prevalence of compassion fatigue, including its components burnout and secondary trauma, among RAs at …

Development Of A Chemical Biology Approach To Uncover The Influence Of Sequence Variations On Ces1 Activity In Live Cells, Samuel James Knebel

Masters Theses

Drug metabolism is the biochemical process of modifying drugs to detoxify and remove them through enzymatic transformations. These biotransformation’s occur primarily in the liver and are critical to understanding how pharmaceutical compounds are chemically altered inside the human body. Human carboxylesterases (CESs) catalyze the hydrolysis of esters, amides, thioesters, and carbamates. CES-mediated hydrolysis plays an important role in the metabolism of many drugs including the first FDA approved antiviral treatment for COVID-19, remdesivir (Veklury), the seizure control medication rufinamide (Banzel), and the flu antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu). CES activity is known to be influenced by a variety of factors including …

U.S Fans’ Identification With La Liga Teams, Pilar Barrio Sánchez

Masters Theses

This study explores LaLiga fandom in the U.S. by examining fan identification, loyalty, and commitment to their favorite LaLiga team. Moreover, the study explored the reasons why fans first choose their favorite team to support as well as their motives to watch or attend soccer games. To do so, a mixed method approach was used in which participants from LaLiga teams around the U.S. were asked to complete a survey questionnaire and participate in an in-depth interview. Based on the findings, the discussion identifies key strategic considerations and needs of future research for LaLiga to better adjust its communication strategies …

Wolbachia Infection In Gall Associated Insect Communities In Illinois And Indiana, Jakeb Watts

Masters Theses

Wolbachia is a maternally inherited, gram-negative bacterium and has been found to be associated with up to 60% of all insects, frequently resulting in male-killing, feminization, and cytoplasmic incompatibility in the hosts. Gall wasps and other gall-forming insects induce on various host plants abnormal tissue growths, or plant galls, with distinct morphology. They are considered as obligatory parasites to their host plant. The presence of Wolbachia infection in gall wasp populations in North America has not been extensively documented. Given the strong influence on host reproduction, not knowing Wolbachia infection in insect populations prevents the understanding of how populations are …

A Preliminary Investigation Of A Brief, Virtual, Behavioral Parent Training Program On Parents’ Self-Efficacy And Young Children’S Behavior, Taylor Daniels

Masters Theses

A single-case, multiple-baseline research design was used to evaluate the effects of a two-session, virtual behavioral parent training program on parents’ self-efficacy and their children’s compliance and appropriate behavior. Participants included five parent-child dyads recruited from a grant-funded preschool program in Northern Illinois. When the parent training program was implemented, parent self-efficacy increased across four of the five parent participants (using daily behavior ratings). Effect size comparisons for self-efficacy reflected large effects for three parents. Further, child compliance increased across four of the five child participants and child appropriate behavior increased across three of the five child participants (using daily …

Social Anxiety, Worry, And Intolerance Of Uncertainty, Yu-Jin Eun

Masters Theses

Numerous cognitive aspects of social anxiety have been examined. For example, the Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) has been incorporated into the cognitive-behavioral model of Social Anxiety (Rapee & Heimberg, 1997), and more recently the Fear of Positive Evaluation (FPE) has received great interest (c.f., Weeks et al., 2008). Other relevant cognitive aspects of social anxiety have received less attention. Of interest, intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is highly related to worry but also to social anxiety (e.g., Boelen & Reijntjes, 2009; Dugas et al., 2001). However, no research, to our knowledge, has examined whether social anxiety or worry accounts for …

Triclosan Degrading Bacteria From Wastewater Treatment Plants In Central Illinois, Mohammed Alsulami

Masters Theses

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent that has been used in personal care products and has been identified to cause malformation on cartilage and bone development in zebrafish and influence on thyroid hormone system in humans. Due to its widespread usage and insufficient removal from wastewater treatment plants, triclosan has emerged as a pervasive contaminant that poses a potential threat to the environment and human health. The goal of the study was to isolate and characterize triclosan-degrading bacteria from WWTPs in central Illinois. Using enrichment culture with NMS media containing triclosan as sole carbon source, eighteen bacterial strains were isolated. The …

Excess Capacity In The Banking Sector And Its Effects On The Sub-Saharan Economy, Fu-Ad Wumpaeh Alhassan

Masters Theses

The banking sector plays a critical role in driving economic growth and financial stability in any region. However, the issue of excess capacity within this sector can have a profound effect on the overall health of the economy. This study investigates the excess capacity in the banking sector within the context of the Sub-Saharan region and explores its implications on the economic performance of countries within this area.

This research employed a mixed methods approach that combines both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Firstly, a review of existing literature on excess capacity in the banking sector and its impact on economies …

The Amulet Of Nethelar, Sarah J. Brown

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Attitudes About Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asd), Claire Sullivan

Masters Theses

Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are far less likely to enroll in secondary education than neurotypical students and students with disabilities (White et al., 2016). There is little research on the factors contributing to the reluctance of young adults on the autism spectrum to seek higher education. This study aims to answer two research questions. The first research question aims to determine if there is a predominance of negative attitudes towards ASD amongst present undergraduate college students. The second research question explores whether this could be a determining factor in a college determination for students with ASD. This current …

The Influence Of Cover Crops On Grassland Restoration, Josh C. Poland

Masters Theses

Grassland ecosystems comprise almost a fourth of all Earth’s land mass; however, due to ever-increasing rates of agricultural land conversion, these habitats are facing a large-scale biodiversity crisis. The degradation of grasslands extends beyond physical impacts, such as soil erosion, to include the loss of soil microbial communities as a serious risk to the health and productivity of these habitats. Cover cropping, commonly used in agriculture to revive agricultural soils, has rarely been applied to grassland restorations, and could combat or reverse the harmful effects of modern agriculture techniques. For the first chapter of my thesis, I used a greenhouse …

Personal Branding, Reality Television, And Social Media: How Former Big Brother Contestants Create, Maintain, And Alter Their Public Image, Justin L. Richards

Masters Theses

This study interrogated how these theories were potentially used, or aspects of the theories used to create, alter, or maintain, the contestant’s personal brands on two social media platforms. Informed by previous literature on personal branding and impression management, 1,021 pieces of social media communication were analyzed, 499 pieces of communication from Taylor Hale, and 522 pieces of communication from Paulie Calafiore. This study determined that there were up to five different patterns on the kind of content produced that still qualified under these theories for Taylor Hale, and up to four different patterns for Paulie Calafiore. Some patterns appeared …

A Survey Of Diatom Assemblages Of North Dakota: Identification, Enumeration, And Assessment Of Stream Health With Environmental Variables, Cole Tilford

Masters Theses

Diatoms have been used as biological indicators for assessing the environmental health of waterways for over a century. Their low motility and responsiveness to environmental changes makes them ideal for this purpose. North Dakota oil extraction has undergone a massive transformation as hydraulic fracturing across the Bakken Formation and the Williston Basin has increased over the last 20 years. Hydraulic fracturing increased the potential for environmental pollution of North Dakota’s waterways, especially in the form of highly saline hydraulic fracturing liquid. Many North Dakota streams are already saline and additional salinity could cause drastic changes in aquatic ecosystems. North Dakota …

Species Responses To Habitat Edges And Fragmentation Per Se: A Cross Taxa Meta-Analysis, Rachel Snyder

Masters Theses

Aim We examined the scale equivalency of fragmentation effects at the patch scale and landscape scale to determine if patch level effects scale up to landscape level effects. First, we examined species responses to fragmentation effects at the patch scale and landscape scale. Second, we evaluated whether there is a difference in response between taxonomic groups and across latitudes. Finally, we analyzed the data at the level of individual species in order to determine how species respond to edge effects and fragmentation effects. Location Data for 71 studies were gathered from the BioFrag database. Studies used were located in 48 …

Hey Girl, Feel My Thesis. Know What It's Made Of? Research Material., Mya Lynn Pritts

Masters Theses

As Generation Z becomes the newest generation to enter adulthood, it is valuable to understand their thought processes and communication patterns. Individuals of Generation Z are known to be digital natives, as they were born into a world of technology with the internet at their fingertips. Understanding Generation Z's use of memes is an area where little research has been done so far. The purpose of this study was to determine how Generation Z interprets and communicates with memes on the internet and social media platforms. Unlike previous research, this study analyzed the participants' perceptions, which further contributes to an …

Board Games: A Perfect Match For Reading Comprehension, Christopher Allen Frazier

Masters Theses

Analog board games greatly benefit students’ development and overall well-being. Board games offer opportunities for early learning, help boost language skills, sharpen students’ ability to focus, teach the value of teamwork, and soothe anxiety. Integrating board games with literacy skills allows students to assimilate information and develop into lifelong learners. Without solid literacy skills, the future is bleak for most students. To compound the problem, a trend today is to replace traditional board games as an educational tool with digital alternatives. This trend has seen a downward correlation with students having significant reading deficiencies in their reading comprehension in grades …

Is The Kalam Cosmological Argument's Second Premise Defendable?, Mark Karapetyan

Masters Theses

Contrary to the skeptic's rejections, the second premise of the cosmological argument can be defended via scientific and philosophical arguments.

“Americanized” Worship In Brazilian Churches, Leon C. Neto

Masters Theses

Motivated by the marketability of high-profile artists and bands, Christian churches worldwide may see the inclusion of profit-driven worship songs as a recruiting tool for their communities. This process of globalization or "Americanization" around the world, propagated by mass media, is yet to be thoroughly investigated. This trend is likely decreasing the use of indigenous styles in Christian worship. The primary purpose of this current study is to produce scientific data suggesting that “Americanized” worship is a trend in Brazil and is affecting the production of indigenous worship repertoire. An online questionnaire was developed and applied to Brazilian worship leaders. …

Thesis Defense: The Yellow Wallpaper, Madison Hope Greathouse

Masters Theses

The purpose of The Yellow Wallpaper screenplay is to shed light on the mental health issues many in our society face, namely schizophrenia and similar mental disorders. It will also address the reality of an unhealthy marital relationship. The overarching message of the screenplay is one of hope for those struggling with mental illness and for others who seek to care for these people.

Bibliotherapy In The Helping Professions: A Heuristic Model For Intervention Design, Natalie Marie Haney

Masters Theses

I propose a new approach to examining bibliotherapy’s usefulness in the community-based care of individuals with serious mental illness (SMI), focused on producing a heuristic that benefits helping professionals who offer non-clinical and non-psychiatric services. Meant for writers designing bibliotherapy interventions in the helping professions, I conceptualize bibliotherapy in a model against the backdrop of community-based care’s history. A model has the potential to allow each writer to conduct situation-specific inquiry, invent bibliotherapy intervention designs suited to the unique needs of the profession’s help-seekers, and reflect on knowledge generated for intervention reiteration. Referring to Dewey, Rosenblatt and Barnlund to create …

Christian Values Guide Generation Z To A Better Future In Post-Apocalyptic Screenplay, Charlotte Ashleigh Rice

Masters Theses

Echo’s Calling is a screenplay written with the intention to relate to modern teenagers and young adults (Generation Z) and teach them the Christian values of forgiveness, love, and acceptance. According to research, Generation Z relates to post-apocalyptic narratives because they feel as if they are currently living in the apocalypse. Their dismal worldview is perpetuated by negative news, “cancel culture,” and the media. Despite all this, Generation Z strives for a better future free from hate. In order to produce such a future, the Christian values of forgiveness, love, and acceptance need to be relatable and teachable to Generation …

On Natural Evil: Augustine, Plantinga, And Hick, Andrew James Delaney

Masters Theses

This paper examines the philosophical problem of natural evil. Natural evil in the world creates a stumbling block between people and their faith in God. What can be said of the coexistence of God and evil in the world? The purpose of this paper is to address the criticisms of Christianity in light of natural evil and to share several theistic responses to the problem of natural evil. Specific considerations are made to the greater context of the story of humanity. Alvin Plantinga's free-will defense is evaluated first as a foundation for discussion. Contributions from Augustine, John Hick, William Rowe, …

Agatha Christie: Poisons And Prose, A Critical And Creative Consideration, Laurie Kay Wolf

Masters Theses

This Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing thesis submission focuses on the literary approach and research processes of Agatha Christie. It includes an impetus and vision for the thesis project, a scientific inquiry into a sampling of the poisons Ms. Christie incorporated as murder weapons, and an analysis of texts from a variety of her published works. The creative manuscript portion incorporates the detective genre, the poison research, and this student’s interpretation of Ms. Christie’s writing style and distinction.

Researching Technological Advancements Through Alternative Methods Of Music Education To Engage Students In The Digital Age, Olivia Thornton Thompson

Masters Theses

While the music industry has significantly incorporated technology into music composition and production, music education is slow to teach how to use these technical methods for students living in the digital age. Current music education methods have established successful results in past music compositions; however, those methods are becoming impractical. Although music education taught in schools has been primarily successful through traditional methods, students learning in the digital age have yet to learn how to strengthen their musical abilities through technology. This secondary analysis aims to look at the different studies on incorporating technology in a music education setting to …

The Importance Of Art In Cross Discipline Education, Shaye E. Beeman

Masters Theses

For years, art has been pushed under the rug. Especially in education, art is seen as less advantageous than other courses such as math, English, and science. This thesis explores the advantages of utilizing art in cross-discipline classrooms to help students learn and develop skills that will improve their physical, mental, and spiritual health. This thesis will bring into account other sources of information and data including research, case studies, and visual analyses to show: How will art improve the physical health of students? How does art increase the mental health of students? How does art improve the spiritual health …

World-Building Warnings: Depth In Creative Art To Consider Societal Paths, Kane Samuel Wright

Masters Theses

Addressing the issue of artists often failing to visually communicate through world-building concepts, this paper seeks to inform a design piece demonstrating the potential effectiveness of a message communicated through visual world-building in a manner that minimises audience disengagement and maximises articulate artistic communication. Questions arise as to what dangers a future society may face that could be worth using as a framework to address this communication problem, whether techniques surrounding visual world-building can be successful in this task, and where artists go astray in their own attempts. Research conducted suggests that psychology, culture, and semiotics play an important role …

The Criteria Of Liturgical Worship And Analysis Of Wesley‘S Theology And How His Approach Challenges Contemporary Christians, Especially In Terms Of Worship, Eunice H. Ahn

Masters Theses

Although liturgical traditions were introduced during the Modernism Era, they continue to play an influential role in churches today. The worship and teaching practices applied in Roman Catholic Churches reflect how important traditional liturgy is in the Post-Modernism Era. While many catholic congregations are aware of the significance of liturgy, many Christian and Protestant Churches are not. There is missing knowledge regarding liturgical traditions in these churches. This study will propose liturgical worship in contemporary Christian and Protestant congregations as an alternative proposal from the perspective of John Wesley. This proposal will discuss the criteria of liturgical worship and analyze …

The Need And Value Of Adding A Gifted Music Curriculum To Education Using Music Technology, Haven K. Clippinger

Masters Theses

Research in music education has increased drastically since its emergence in the 20th century. Philosophers developed detailed music education philosophies, and music education changed in American education. In addition, the 20th century also brought an increased awareness of gifted students in the school system. Musical talent has been considered a gifted quality, yet there appears to be minimal research on gifted students in music classes. Initial research was conducted to examine literature on gifted music. This research served to provide a greater link between music and gifted education by utilizing a music technology curriculum for gifted music students. This project …