Digital Commons Network^™

Student Athlete: From Recruitment To The Academic, Athletic, & Social Experiences, Moetiz Y. Samad

Masters Theses

Student-athletes in the present study seemed more athlete-students in that they were consistently more concerned about their athletic performance than their academic performance. With the number of road trips and early scheduled classes, students freed up their mid-afternoons to late evenings for the respective sport of which they were a part of. By conducting such research, a number of different elements became clearer during the researcher's efforts to find out why an athlete chooses a specific institution, the nature of his or her overall university experience, and the interpersonal relationships college athletes make throughout the course of their undergraduate careers.

Near Minimum Energy Distributions On The Sphere Using Voronoi Cells, Benedictus Sitou Mensah

Masters Theses

In this thesis we investigate the use of Voronoi cells to estimate a minimum energy configuration on the sphere. We introduce the notion of a Voronoi cell and give examples of its uses in various areas of mathematics. We consider the icosahedral decomposition of the sphere and apply a minimal energy configuration on the planar equilateral triangle to obtain spherical coordinates of a near minimal energy configuration on the sphere.

Why Does The United States Give Foreign Aid?, Abalo Awesso

Masters Theses

This thesis examined many controversies surrounding the distribution of U.S. foreign aid, most precisely the factors explaining the allocation of U.S. foreign aid, the congressional foreign policy behavior related to foreign aid decisions, and the impact of foreign lobbying. The findings suggest that the United States' security interests appear to be the central basis on which the United States distributes its Gross Bilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA). Meanwhile, the congressional foreign policy behavior reveals that even though the Democrats are more likely to sponsor most foreign aid bills the Democratic Party's control in Congress does not guarantee that all or …

Sometimes Magic, Corey Taylor

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Differential Predictors Of Overt And Relational Aggression In Outpatient Youth, Andrea Hadley

Masters Theses

Youth overt (OA) and relational (RA) aggression are linked to future maladjustment and problems such as delinquency, poor academic achievement, and depression (Crick, Ostrov, & Werner, 2006). Although these two types of aggression overlap, overt and relational aggression have been consistently identified as distinct forms of aggression. Researchers explored the overlap between overt and relational aggression and review differential predictors of these aggressive behaviors in a sample of clinically- referred youth ages 8 to 1 7. Youth and parent beliefs about overt and relational aggression, psychopathology, conduct problems, and parenting styles as differential predictors for overt and relational aggression were …

Nonliteral Language Used By Teachers In The Classroom, Jenna K. Szybowicz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research project was to determine ifregular education and special education classroom teachers used a varying amount of idioms in the classroom. Two groups of subjects were involved in the study; 12 regular education classroom teachers (four first grade; four second grade; and four third grade) and 12 primary crosscategorical classroom teachers. The teachers were observed for one to two hours via naturalistic observation methods during math and language arts lessons. The sample was transcribed and analyzed using Systematic Analysis of Language Transcriptions (SALT). The transcriptions were coded for the following criteria: nonliteral idioms[n] (e.g.,just a minute); …

Romantic Conflict: A Problematic Integration, Alyssa Obradovich

Masters Theses

Though conflict is to be expected in most romantic relationships, research determines the amount of conflict within a relationship is likely to peak in the dissolution phase. Ending relationships is rarely easy, and the experience can be wrought with mixed emotions and uncertainty. Problematic integration theory offers a perspective that specifically deals with uncertainty and ambivalence but has yet to be applied to romantic conflict. This thesis examines uncertainty in conflict within the dissolution phase of romantic relationships. This perspective offers a more holistic view of how couples negotiate uncertainty in dissolving conflicts.

Interactions Of Diet And Behavior In A Death-Feigning Snake (Heterodon Nasicus), Andrew Michael Durso

Masters Theses

Studies of animal behavior in captivity are limited in their ability to explain the influence of a natural environment on behavioral ecology. Defensive behaviors vary among individual animals, between sexes and with age, as well as with other less well-known factors. The toxin-rich diet of many toad-eating snakes might enable or cause their passive terminal defensive behavior of death-feigning. I videotaped death-feigning behavior in wild Plains Hog-Nosed Snakes (Heterodon nasicus) subjected to standardized harassment. Using stable isotopes, I also described the diet of the same individuals subjected to behavioral analysis (n = 40). Heterodon had broader diets than other snakes …

Structural And Photochemical Behavior Of Phenyl And Dihydrophenyl Sulfonamidecinnamic Acids, Sergey Zinovchik

Masters Theses

Controlling chemical processes and directing product formation has been a long sought-after goal of synthetic chemists. Most synthesis techniques focus on reactions performed in solution. Such traditional approaches have several disadvantages including unwanted side products, disrupting chemical processes and low reaction yields. A proposed approach to circumvent these drawbacks focuses on performing reactions in the solid state. This method promises better control and higher reaction yields due to the controlled environment of the reaction components. Because molecules in the solid state are effectively fixed, reactions can be performed with a high degree of selectivity, reducing side products and eliminating unwanted …

The Effects Of Teaching Styles On Student Knowledge, Ryan Devries

Masters Theses

This study analyzed the effects that the instructor has in determining if student knowledge of a given subject is significantly impacted when teaching styles differ. The study examined the effects of the independent variable (learning through instruction style) on the one dependent variable: knowledge (gained and retained).

Traditional educational methods often vary between instructors, even when those instructors teach the same course. Teachers' objectives are to present the course information in a way that will be the most beneficial to the student. The teachers have to consider situational factors, goals for the course, learning styles, and level of learning. "In …

Increasing Male Volunteering One Motivation At A Time, Matthew C. Nance

Masters Theses

Much research had shown that men volunteer at a lesser rate than women do. Additionally, research had shown that the motivations to volunteer differ for each gender. Two samples of college students who participated in single day service projects were surveyed using the Volunteer Functions Inventory-an instrument that assesses the importance of six possible motivations that range from a focus on others to a focus on gains for one's self-by the Student Community Service office. The data from the VFI was divided along gender lines to see to which motivations millennial males adhered. In an effort to further understand the …

Test-Retest Reliability Of The Acters-2, Alaine A. Benson

Masters Theses

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is one of the most commonly studied and diagnosed psychiatric disorders in children. Behavior rating scales are often utilized in the assessment and treatment monitoring for AD/HD. This study investigated the testretest reliability of the ADD-H Comprehensive Teacher's Rating Scale 2nd Edition (ACTeRS-2). The ACTeRS-2 rating scale is comprised of four behavior subscales, which include conduct areas frequently displayed by children with AD/HD. The subscales consist of Attention, Hyperactivity, Social Skills, and Oppositional behavior items. For the purpose of this study, data were collected on 124 students in third, fifth, and sixth grade who attended public …

School-Based Support As A Mediator Between Homophobic Bullying And Depression In Sexual Minority Youth, Jamie Henkelman

Masters Theses

School-based support as a mediator between the relationship of homophobic bullying during high school and depression later on was examined retrospectively using a sample of 195 participants who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or questioning. Participants were recruited from a Midwestern state via email and social networking sites through their college campus' Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender campus groups. The survey was conducted online and used the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale to measure depression symptoms. The modified version of the Gay Lesbian and Straight Education Network's Community Climate survey was used to measure schoolbased support and homophobic bullying. Results …

Siblings Of Children With Autism: A Family Systems Approach, Mina Ohata

Masters Theses

In the present study, experiences and perceptions of siblings of children with an autism spectrum disorder, as well as their mothers, were examined using family systems theory as a guideline. Because previous researchers reported inconsistent findings related to possible positive and negative effects of having a sibling with an autism spectrum disorder, the present study collected descriptive data by means of interviews in order to obtain in-depth information. Five siblings (ages ranged from 6 to 14) of children with an autism spectrum disorder and their mothers participated in the study and described in their own words their experiences of having …

Constitutive Walls: The U.S.-Mexico Border Fence And Constructing Identity, Mary Katherine Klipp

Masters Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to contribute to the growing literature of constitutive rhetoric, originally coined by Maurice Charland. Through a case study of the US/Mexico border fence, I illustrate that the communicative tactics of articulation, appropriation and image events have the potential to act as interpellative strategies of identity construction. Through my analysis, I show how these strategies function in constitutive rhetoric in both verbal discourses and in visual rhetoric through image events. I also note that the lack of discourses in an argument may have implications that are equally significant to those that are present.

The Impact Of A Sociology Career Planning Seminar On Students' Perceptions Of Career Barriers, Career Decision-Making Difficulties And Career Decision Self-Efficacy, Wendy M. Downing

Masters Theses

This study examined a sociology career planning seminar's impact on students' perceptions of barriers to career planning, career decision-making difficulties and career decision self-efficacy during the fall 2010 semester. Students enrolled in the career seminar were placed into the treatment group, while students enrolled in a sophomore sociology course were placed in the control group. The Perceptions of Barriers Scale - Modified Version (Luzzo & McWhirter, 2001), the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (Gati, Krausz & Osipow, 1996) and the Career Decision Self-Efficacy. Scale- Short Form (Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996) were used to determine the impact of the course. Paired …

The Role Of Mindfulness In Academic Stress, Self-Efficacy, And Achievement In College Students, Brian D. Brausch

Masters Theses

This study was designed to assess the predictive quality of specific measures toward academic success in college students. In particular, high school grade point average, (GPA), American College Testing exam scores (ACT), academic stress, academic self-efficacy, and mindfulness measures were used as independent variables to determine their predictive significance toward undergraduate fall 2010 semester GPAs. Data from 268 undergraduate students at Midwestern university were collected and analyzed. Results revealed significant predictive quality of high school GPA and academic self-efficacy toward undergraduate performance. However, ACT scores, academic stress, and mindfulness measures were not found to be predictive of undergraduate semester GPAs. …

A Study Of Psychological Sense Of Community Within Living-Learning Environments, Jacob R. Hanley

Masters Theses

The present study measured the level for Psychological Sense of Community (PSOC) using the Sense of Community Index 2 (SCI-2) inside various living-learning communities at a medium sized, mid-western public university. It compared the PSOC scores with various demographic characteristics that were measured with the PSOC instrument. Based on responses of 455 participants, there were significant differences between size of living-learning communities and the PSOC levels they demonstrated. There were no significant differences between sex of participants and demonstrated PSOC levels. There were also minor differences between race, age, year, time lived on campus, and time in current residence hall …

Twenty Essential Illinois Problems, Clint Walker

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

Transition Of Freshmen Student Athletes, Jessica R. Leach

Masters Theses

The purpose of the current study was to explore the transition of first-time, first-year freshmen student athletes to the collegiate setting. By looking at student learning outcomes as defined by their behaviors in critical domains (i.e., critical thinking, self-awareness, communication, diversity, citizenship, membership and leadership, and relationships), the study evaluated the differences between student athletes and non-athlete students at a specific institution and then compared student athletes at that institution to their peers across the nation. Differences were found in all domains between the student athletes and non-athlete students at the researched institution, and differences were found between this institution's …

The Frequency, Attitudes, And Beliefs Of Sexting Among College Students, Amanda Woolard

Masters Theses

Through the use of various forms of media, "sexting" has become a phrase common in contemporary society. Although the definition has varied through the past years, a recent study by Elizabeth Eraker (2010) stated, "sexting refers to the self-production and distribution by cell phone of sexually explicit images in the course of consensual, voluntary activity by teenagers" (p. 557). The purpose of this research was to assess the frequency of sexting, attitudes regarding sexting, and the beliefs to engage in sexting among the college population. The current study ( 1) examined the frequency of sexting among college students, (2) explored …

Estrogen Promotes Neurite Outgrowth In Olfactory Epithelial Explant Cultures Through The Estrogen Receptor, Apryl E. Pooley

Masters Theses

No abstract provided.

A Functional Genomics Approach To Analyze Two Methionine-[Gamma]-Lyase Orthologs In "Ferroplasma Acidarmanus" Using In Vitro Enzyme Assays, Md. A. Wadud Khan

Masters Theses

Functional genomics predicts that ferl genome has two candidate genes for the production of two methionine-y-lyase (MGL) orthologs, which are thought to be pivotal for the production of methanethiol. These orthologs show a high level of protein sequence identity ( ~ 3 5%) and similarity (~60%) when compared to known MGLs. In addition, ClustalW2 alignment of ferl MGL orthologs and other known MG Ls showed a high level of similarity in amino acid residues, which are involved for the stabilization of 3D structure of MGL and in forming active site for the substrates. To confirm the predictive functions of these …

The Evolution Of Leaf Anatomy In Badiera (Polygalaceae), Laura Brauer

Masters Theses

Leaf samples from Polygalaceae: nine species of Badiera, two species of Bredemeyera, three species of Hebecarpa, and two species of Polygala were taken from herbarium specimens for anatomical observations. Several methods of rehydration were compared to a control of fresh material fixed in the field for four species of Badiera. Soaking in concentrated ammonium hydroxide proved to be the best overall means of rehydrating leaves of the genus Badiera and related genera. All leaves were embedded in paraffin for sectioning and cleared in 5% aqueous sodium hydroxide for examining epidermal features. Twelve anatomical characters were mapped onto a molecular phylogeny …

Method Developments To Analyze Caffeine And Acesulfame-K Concentrations In Natural Waters In And Around Charleston, Il, Usa, Laleen Bodhipaksha

Masters Theses

Analytical methods using batch solid phase extraction were developed for two chemical markers, caffeine and acesulfame-K, to assess anthropogenic water contamination of natural water bodies in and around Charleston, Illinois.

Measurements were conducted on 12 different extracted samples using reverse phase HPLC. Two creek samples showed the presence of acesulfame-K (0.45 ± 0.10 and 0.25 ± 0.06 ppb) and two creek samples showed the presence of caffeine (3 .1 ± 1.2 and 1.6 ± 0.6 ppb ). Effluent from the Charleston waste water treatment plant showed an acesulfame-K concentration of 0.67 ± 0.15 ppb.

These results indicate measurement of both …

The Effectiveness Of Errorless Learning For Teaching Concepts And Comments To Children With Autism, Marissa L. Ulm

Masters Theses

Research has indicated that errorless learning has been an effective teaching strategy for teaching discrete skills to both typically developing children and children with a learning disability (Schimek, 1983; Storm & Robinson, 1973). Errorless learning differs from other common teaching strategies in that it only presents correct responses, eliminating the possibility of participants responding incorrectly. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of errorless learning for improving symbol acquisition in children with autism who used a high-tech augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device. Four children previously diagnosed with autism participated in this study; subjects were required to …

A Mother's Consumer Socialization: The Relationship With Her Daughter's Compulsive Buying Behavior, Autumn L. Berbaum

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research was to examine the relationship between a daughter's perception of her mother's consumer socialization (both overt and covert) and the development of compulsive buying behavior of that child as an adult. Previous studies suggest that mothers socialize their children into the consumers that they become as adults. The participants in this study were female students at a Midwestern university, ranging in age from 17 to 25, who designated themselves as those who "love to shop." Data were collected via a multi-part questionnaire. The results of this study suggested that mothers' buying behaviors have an influence …

Analysis Of Team Trust Building Behaviors In Virtual Workplace Teams, Natasha Von Sommer

Masters Theses

Teams are becoming increasingly vital to many organizations. Due to globalization organizations have started to utilize virtual workplace teams. Members of virtual workplace teams typically interact electronically however they may occasionally meet face-to-face. It can be difficult for a virtual workplace team to succeed due to anonymity, lack of control, lack of physical proximity, inefficiencies in information technology and lack of trust. Trust is a key factor in the success of a virtual workplace team. Trust is examined to determine which trust building behavior is most effective at building virtual workplace team trust.

Synthesis Of Molecular Containers Based On Modifications Of Resorcin(4)Arene And Calix(4)Arene, Anupama Makineni

Masters Theses

This research work was mainly focused on the synthesis of molecular containers based on modifications ofresorcin[4]arene and calix[4]arene.

The modifications of resorcin[ 4 ]arene include the attempts to attach a phthalimide featured linker onto the phenol hydroxyl groups of resorcin[4]arene. A few halogen leaving groups were used, including fluorine, chlorine, and bromine. The substitution with tetraflorophthalimide resulted in a mixture of regio-isomeric products, whereas for 4,5-dichloro- and 4,5-dibromophthalimides, no desired substitution product was formed. It was, however, discovered that both 4,5-dichloro- and 4,5-dibromophthalimides forms monoclinic crystals. The second modification of resorcin[4]arene focused on functionalizations of both upper and lower rims …

The Graying Of Facebook: Emerging Adults And Their Parents As Facebook Friends (Fbf), Jodi M. Jackson

Masters Theses

Emerging adults and their parents have a unique relationship, especially during the transition into emerging adulthood. More specifically, as emerging adults and their parents navigate the waters of being Face book friends (FBF), they must learn to negotiate dialectical tensions, along with other prominent issues such as boundary management, impression management, managing tensions, and ease of communication Facebook provides. The core of this study centers around Baxter and Montgomery's (1996) theory on Relational Dialectics. Interviews with both emerging adults and their parents were conducted and analyzed to provide the results of this study. This study explores the intersection between social …