Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between School Belongingness And Drop Out Rates, Lauren Sanders

Masters Theses

The present study investigated the relationship between several measures of school belongingness and drop out rates for 22 high schools in a Midwestern state. Measures of school belongingness were taken from students' responses to the adapted version of the Center for Disease Control for the Department of Health and Human Service's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Results indicated that the relationship between items addressing school belongingness (i.e., the student's feeling comfortable in, being respected in, feeling that school contributes to his or her experience in an important way, and feeling connected to the larger school community) and drop out rates …

A Between Subjects Analysis Of The Additive Interspersal Technique For Multiplication Assignments, Lindsay A. Nash

Masters Theses

Adding easy problems to an assignment with more difficult target problems, known as additive interspersal, has demonstrated the potential to enhance students' perceptions of assignments and also seem to be preferred over non-interspersal assignments. The purpose of this study is to examine the additive interspersal method accomplished by using assignment types (3 x 2 multiplication) that are relevant to the participants (fifth grade students) as well as using a between-subjects design. Specifically, this study examined student's ratings of difficulty, time to complete, and effort required to complete mathematics assignments. In addition, the effects of the different pairs of math assignments …

The Influence Of Taking High School Physics As [A] Junior On Act Science Scores, Bartholomew T. Frey

Masters Theses

In recent years, policymakers, parents, and business leaders have expressed concern about the lack of student success on standardized tests in science. While the consensus is that the problem needs to be addressed, there is little agreement about how to achieve the increased test scores. This study examines the role of the specific science sequencing of biology, chemistry and physics completed by the junior year and increased ACT science test scores. This study compared the achievement of students who took physics as a junior with students who took physics as a senior on the ACT science test. This study continued …

Happiness And Me: An Exploratory Study Of Parental And Romantic Attachments And Self-Esteem And Their Effects On Adulthood Body Image Dissatisfaction, Stephanie Kibble

Masters Theses

In this study, the author investigated parental attachments, self-esteem, and romantic satisfaction as they related to the cognitive and affective components of the selfconcept when represented through Body Image Dissatisfaction (BID). The study was a within-subject design with 70 participants. They participants were instructed to report their feelings about each of these variables through 4 questionnaires. Individuals with low self-esteem identified as having increased BID as compared to those individuals with high self-esteem. Compared with those who reported supportive parental attachments, individuals with a highly overprotective mother reported higher BID. Multiple regression analysis indicated that gender had no significant impact …

Using Alternating Treatment Design To Determine Math Interventions For Linear Equations, Bridget Mckenna

Masters Theses

Although algebraic skills are vital to continuing success in higher order mathematics, few studies have examined the effectiveness of mathematics interventions with high school students. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four mathematics interventions, contingent reinforcement, repeated practice, mathematic problem previewing, and immediate corrective feedback, with six students working on linear equations. Three participants were performing instructional level and four at frustration level. After a curriculum based assessment and baseline, an alternating treatment design examined the effectiveness of each intervention across participants. The distance between the data and the x axis was analyzed to determine …

School Attachment And The Use Of Alcohol Among Rural High School Students, Michelle L. Weiler

Masters Theses

The present study examined the relationship between school attachment and alcohol use in rural communities to determine if students with high levels of school attachment were less likely to participate in alcohol use. Participants included 4,768 high schools students in the largest rural geographic educational region in the state of Illinois. The students participated in a program called I Sing the Body Electric and completed a survey which asked questions including how well students are attached to their school and alcohol use. Chi square goodness of fit tests were used to analyze student's reporting of school attachment, how old they …

Does Quantitative Or Qualitative Data Lower Stigma Of Those Suffering From Schizophrenia?, Fred A. Washburn

Masters Theses

This study examines social tolerance and support for legal coercion for people suffering from schizophrenia. Mental illness, defined as a biomedical illness, has decreased stigma and support for legal coercion for other mental illnesses but has the inverse relationship with schizophrenia (Phelan, Yang, Cruz-Rojas, 2006; Schnittker, 2008). This increase in stigma may be linked to scientific quantitative data that places the illness in control of the person. The study examines Eastern Illinois University students' (N=130) level of social tolerance and support for legal coercion for people suffering from schizophrenia after they have been exposed to qualitative data, quantitative data, or …

Student Perceptions Of A Special Admissions Program: The Boost Program, Jessica Elizabeth Rinkel

Masters Theses

This study was designed to understand the perception of a special admissions program, the BOOST Program, through the voices of students who successfully completed the program and continued their academic career at Eastern Illinois University or left the institution for various reasons after completing BOOST Program requirements. The researcher conducted one on one interviews with a selected sample of former BOOST students using qualitative, phenomenological methods (Johnson & Christensen, 2004; Lichtman, 2010) regarding their perceptions of BOOST Program components. Interviews were examined for significant statements, which led to thematic units, and in tum led to four major themes: support, personal …

Eulalee Anderson: Pioneer In International Student Programs At Eastern Illinois University, Bria Phillips

Masters Theses

Eulalee Anderson, a higher education scholar and leader in the office of international students and scholars spent her days tending to the development and support of international students attending college in the United States, specifically at Eastern Illinois University. Born in Port Alegre, Brazil in 1919, she earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Oklahoma and three masters degrees at Eastern Illinois University. The majority of her professional career was at Eastern Illinois University where she first worked in Booth Library at the circulation desk and later joined what was then called the International Programs office as the international …

Perceptions Of Body Image: A Study Of College Women In Sororities And Not In Sororities, Amy L. Piekarski

Masters Theses

College students, especially women, experience several extreme changes during their undergraduate years. These changes occur in areas of physical development, mental capacity, personality expression, and interpersonal relationship development. With these women leaving home and trying to find their place and fit in at their new institution, they seek out various groups of people and organizations to join. One group or organization that many college women engage in is sorority membership. To date, minimal research has been conducted to investigate whether membership in a sorority has a negative or positive effect on their self images. The purpose of the present study …

The Impact Of Remedial Coursework On Transfer Student Success, Cathy Lee Feely

Masters Theses

This study focuses on the academic achievement and retention of community college transfer students. The research looks at how non-transferrable coursework effects transfer students' academic success based on grade point average. Gender, ethnicity, and type of community college attended are factors all considered in the study. The sample of students being studied are all undergraduate students a Midwestern four year comprehensive university that transferred from an Illinois community college. The research indicates that students who have completed non-transferrable courses at the community college have greater academic success based on grade point average at the university than those without non-transferrable courses. …

Moving Through Autonomy Toward Interdependence: The Relationship Between Chickering And Reisser's Third Vector And Stephen Covey's Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People, Christopher M. Pahl

Masters Theses

This study assessed college student levels of autonomy as measured by The Iowa Developing Autonomy Inventory (Hood & Jackson, 1986), and their perception of their mastery of the seven habits of highly effective people as measured by the Covey Seven Habits Self Profile (Covey, ND) . The Iowa inventory consists of six subscales consisting of 15 items each; mobility, time management, money management, interdependence, emotional independence - Peers and emotional independence - Parents. The Seven Habits profile consists of nine three-item categories; emotional bank account, life balance, be proactive, begin with the end in mind, put first things first, think …

Evaluation Of College Counseling Websites Regarding Suicide Prevention/Depression Referral Services, Heather L. Zike

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to (1) determine if the 12 public colleges and universities within the state of Illinois contained information on their counseling websites in regards to topics of depression and suicide (2) examine if the websites contained self-evaluations for depression (3) determine if the website contains external links that are highly regarded informative links for depression and suicide among college students, (4) information for faculty/ staff to make referrals, and (5) information for family and loved ones to make referrals.

Optimal Control Of A Helicopter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Uav), David John Nodland

Masters Theses

"This thesis addresses optimal control of a helicopter unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Helicopter UAVs may be widely used for both military and civilian operations. Because these helicopters are underactuated nonlinear mechanical systems, high-performance controller design for them presents a challenge. This thesis presents an optimal controller design via both state and output feedback for trajectory tracking of a helicopter UAV using a neural network (NN). The state and output-feedback control system utilizes the backstepping methodology, employing kinematic and dynamic controllers while the output feedback approach uses an observer in addition to these controllers. The online approximator-based dynamic controller learns the …

Synthesis And Toxicity Studies Of Imidazolium-Based Ionic Liquids, Ninu Madria

Masters Theses

"There is a considerable recent interest in the applications of room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) as green solvents in organic synthesis and as nonvolatile electrolytes in lithium ion batteries. A variety of commercially available imidazolium based RTILs have been used for these applications, mainly due to their negligible vapor pressures, high thermal stabilities, wide liquid range, wide electrochemical windows and high anodic stability. The state of the art lithium ion batteries require the use of electrolytes that have relatively low viscosities at temperatures as low as -35°C. This thesis describes the synthesis of novel oxygenated and fluorinated imidazolium based RTILs …

Phytoforensic Tools: Directional Uptake Of Chlorinated Solvents, Matthew Alan Limmer

Masters Theses

"Trees have been used to locate contaminated soil and groundwater, augmenting traditional methods, such as well drilling, that are time-consuming and expensive. In the past decade, plant sampling has gained acceptance as a reliable method for site screening. In this new field of phytoforensics, research efforts focus on developing quicker, more accurate and more informative sampling and analysis methods for measuring contaminant concentrations in trees. These phytoforensic tools are a novel approach to site assessments, potentially reducing cost while more effectively locating contaminated groundwater. This thesis evolved from field data suggesting azimuthal concentrations in tree trunks may reflect the corresponding …

Found: The Etiology Of Character Realization, Within Rhetorical Analysis Of The Series Lost, Through The Application Of Underhill's And Turner's Classic Concepts Of The Mystic Journey, Lacey Mitchell

Masters Theses

This study rhetorically and visually analyzed the presence of the spiritual journey represented through the journeys of selected characters traced over several episodes of the television series LOST. Popular literature asserts the classic concept of the spiritual journey can be and has been found across the spectrum of various media. Episodes were analyzed to trace the journey of two characters, Jack Shephard and Juliet Burke. Evelyn Underhill's three-fold path and Victor Turner's concepts of liminality and communitas were implemented as a way to organize and analyze the contextual elements displayed in the episodes. The sampling used forty-seven episodes across the …

Groping For Intimacy: Modern Man's "Pressure" And The Onanistic Inversion Of Christianity, Marriage, And The Nuclear Family In Three American Novels, Nicholas Scott Olson

Masters Theses

Several critics have suggested that modernity's most fundamental theme is autonomy. Yet, few critics have considered Søren Kierkegaard's thought in relation to autonomous notions of freedom, and even fewer literary critics have considered Kierkegaard's vast influence - particularly on twentieth-century American authors - through this thematic lens. Michelle Kosch has argued that Kierkegaard's notion of despair essentially involves the self's misunderstanding of the nature of his freedom, while Samuel Loncar has argued that Kierkegaard's thought in this regard can be traced back through the German Enlightenment to Immanuel Kant's notion of autonomy. Yet, while Kierkegaard offers a fine critique of …

Fort Stanwix: Untenable, Or The Key To Defending The Mohawk Valley?, Joshua Ross Nare

Masters Theses

Due to the Select Supply System of 1780, New York was waiting on the coming grain harvest from the Mohawk and Schoharie Valleys, in order to provide its quota of provisions to Washington's army and the several forts in the state, including Fort Stanwix. Throughout the war, many officers and officials, held the common belief that the Mohawk Valley and its rich croplands could be defended as long as Fort Stanwix held. In May, August, and October of 1780, the Governor of Canada, Sir Frederick Haldimand, ordered raids on the Mohawk and Schoharie Valleys, which destroyed the harvests, preventing New …

The Enduring Austen Heroine: Self-Awareness And Moral Maturity In Jane Austen's Emma And In Modern Austen Fan-Fiction, Brittany A. Meng

Masters Theses

Jane Austen's novels continue to be popular in the twenty-first century because her heroines are both delightful and instructive; they can be viewed as role models of personal growth due to their honest self-examination and commitment to high moral standards. Chapter one establishes the patterns of personal growth that uniquely characterizes Austen's heroines in each of her six novels. Chapter two tests these conclusions by carefully examining the character of Emma Woodhouse. Though Emma is a unique heroine due to her wealth and social privileges, she follows the principles of personal growth possessed by Austen's other heroines. Chapter three further …

Assessing Intercultural Experience: Differences In Biculturalism, Intercultural Sensitivity, And Cognitive Flexibility Among Latino Immigrants, Christine Christmas

Masters Theses

This study examined first generation immigrants, defined as those who were born in a Latin American country and moved to the U.S. after the age of 12, and second generation immigrants, defined as those who were born in the U.S. or moved here before the age of 12. Literature in the field of cross-cultural adaptation suggests that intercultural communication competence tends to be further developed as a result of intercultural adaptation. The intent of this research was to test this assertion. Data was collected by way of survey administration on a sample of 216 Latino immigrants representing both first and …

John Mccone And The Cuban Missile Crisis, Christopher M. Heist

Masters Theses

My thesis focused on John McCone and his role during the Cuban Missile Crisis. On this subject, I will examine John McCone's efforts from May to September 1962 to understand the Soviet buildup in Cuba, pushing President John F. Kennedy for more reconnaissance of the island to aid this effort. During the crisis in October 1962, McCone was one of the main officials responsible for briefing the Kennedy administration on the Soviet efforts in Cuba, where he sided with the members of the cabinet pushing for an air strike and invasion to remove the missiles. Following the crisis, McCone continued …

Cognitive Collision: Chinese Students' Experience Of Cognitive Dissonance Regarding Christianity In The United States, Ying Li

Masters Theses

This study explored if Chinese students experienced cognitive dissonance when they were exposed to Christianity at a large southeast Christian university in the United States, and what were their responses regarding the reduction, increase or change of the cognitive dissonance after they were exposed to Christianity in the United States. Utilizing a qualitative study, the researcher interviewed twelve undergraduate students who were studying at a large southeast Christian university in the United States with eight primary questions and five sub-questions. The ages of the interviewees in this study were from 18 to 22 years old. The results of the current …

The Doppelgänger Tale And The Masquerade Of Race: The Enduring Influence Of Dumas` Iron Mask And Twain`S Switched Heroes, Virginia Payne Dow

Masters Theses

Although separated by the Atlantic Ocean, nineteenth-century authors Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870) and then Mark Twain (1835-1910) separately created narratives involving the doppelganger motif which both challenged the accepted social ideals and spawned a plethora of imitations. These tales of switched identities served to critique social stratification and racial discrimination.

Given the current influx of interest in the doppelganger paradigm within the media, and particularly in light of rising cultural studies involving race, class, and social stratification, the main novels of this study--Dumas' The Man in the Iron Mask and Georges, and Twain's Pudd'nhead Wilson--warrant ever-increasing interest due to their discourse …

"Who Will Remain Whole? Who?": The Pursuit Of Power And Place In "The Displaced Person", Katy L. Leedy

Masters Theses

In Flannery O ’Connor’s “The Displaced Person,” each character works to forcefully displace others from their positions in a way that can be likened to colonization. Farm owner Mrs. McIntyre thinks she can act as a colonizer, but instead she has merely a position of power. Because she believes in her authority, she works to defend it; since she has nothing to defend, her efforts are fruitless. With the death of Guizac, the question of power is resolved: she has none. Instead, she had the illusion of power since she had workers beneath her. With them gone, there is no …

De Anima, Dna: A Modified Stump/Aquinas Hylomorphic Model, The Soul And The Identity Of Human Persons, Resurrected, Matthew Grant Mcdaniel

Masters Theses

In contemporary metaphysics, there are two popular options for personal numerical identity (NID) over time: substance dualism and materialism. According to recent arguments by some Christian philosophers, both options conflict with the Christian doctrine of the bodily resurrection. Substance dualism trivializes the physical body for NID (when it has some kind of role in the bodily resurrection), and also is seen to conflict with modern neuroscience. But NID and mind cannot be continued solely by the material body, as versions of the Replacement Argument (from Richard Swinburne and Alvin Plantinga) show. There are good aspects to both options, especially with …

Fear Of And Fascination With The Foreign In Arthur Conan Doyle’S Sherlock Holmes Adventures, Mae Leigh Cooke

Masters Theses

Arthur Conan Doyle’s character Sherlock Holmes is infamous for his uncanny ability to detect and capture criminals from minimal clues. Doyle’s inclusion of Victorian England’s fascination with and fear of foreign elements within his detective stories made Holmes an instant success. By including Holmes’s stories in The Strand, circulation doubled, resulting in the public’s adoration of this eccentric hero spanning across decades. Doyle’s inclusion of developments in science at the time captivated the audience even further. The character became timeless because of his dual nature; he, like his readers, had personal flaws and unhealthy habits, but was able to …

At The Edge Of Two Worlds: Mary Slessor And Gender Roles In Scottish African Missions, Sarah Marcia Lennon

Masters Theses

Mary Mitchell Slessor, a missionary to Calabar, West Africa in modern-day Nigeria from 1876 until 1915, was a transitional character, combining traditional feminine roles with more masculine roles during her time as a missionary. Though many biographers focus on Slessor's eccentricities and use her life as an example of the exceptional Victorian woman, this study disagrees with that assessment and instead views her caught between two worlds, part of the previous generational thinking regarding women's work, but also progressing toward what would be considered normal in the early decades of the twentieth century. Comparing Slessor to other women working in …

Transcriptional Regulation Of M1 Cells In Response To Il-6, Il-10 And Lps, Lyna Goto

Masters Theses

Jun/Fos and Jun/BATF heterodimers are capable of binding the TRE site to regulate gene transcription, which in turn amongst other functions, could be involved in the regulation of inflammation. Studies have shown that in contrast to Jun/Fos, the Jun/BATF heterodimers result in a reduced transcriptional activity and thus inhibit the expression of AP-1 target genes. The inflammatory response is composed of a vast array of mediators, including cytokines such as IL6 and IL10. The balance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, in part, determines whether the inflammatory response persists or is resolved. Macrophages are a key cell type involved in the …

Blueprints Of Friendship: The Influence Of Personality On Perceived Intimacy And Comfort Level Of Disclosure In Friendship, Elizabeth Ann Briggs

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to establish whether a connection exists between Myers-Briggs personality type and friendship. Participants completed the Jung Typology Test to identify personality type as well as a survey regarding their friendship. Social penetration theory and Myers-Briggs personality theory were used as a framework for this study. All participants were from a private east coast university with ages ranging from 18-28 years. Completed surveys resulted in 32 pairs of self-identified close friends. The author analyzed the results to identify any patterns that emerged between personality and perceived intimacy and comfort level of self-disclosure within friendship. Results …