Digital Commons Network^™

An Investigation Of Postmodern Influences In Advertising, Rose Leahy

Theses

This study investigates the influences of postmodernism in advertising. The postmodern culture is characterised by irony, paradox, playfulness and anarchy. Consequently advertisements that are influenced by postmodernism embrace the unusual, the unconventional, the abstract and the ambiguous. This thesis set out to determine if there is a consensus among advertisers as to the meaning of postmodernism, to identify the reasons for the evolution of postmodern advertising and to assess its effectiveness and future potential.

Indications of the impact of postmodern advertising can be derived through qualitative methods, but quantitative methods can also be employed. Primary research was undertaken in the …

Development Of An Interactive Multimedia Research Information System For The Archival Of The Music And Culture Of The Sliabh Luachra Area, Martina O'Neill

Theses

We are living in a world where communication is introducing much multiculturalism into society. Irish music is being mixed with music from all different cultures creating a worldwide acceptable type of "Irish Music\ As a result we are losing our true culture which is rooted in the Irish music and dance. This primary focus of this project was to set up an archival system to store the music of the Sliabh Luachra area. The music of the Sliabh Luachra area is a rich and rare heritage and was influenced greatly by the music of Padraig O’Keeffe, a renowned fiddle master …

Practice Placement In Social Care Education, Lillian Byrne

Theses

This research had two objectives first, to identify Applied Social Studies students' experience of practice placement and second, to identify their practice teachers experience of practice placement. The objectives were met by completing four Studies. To understand the context and purpose of practice placement during the education of Social Care workers the first three chapters focus on outlining the developments in Irish Social Care, providing an understanding of practice placement and the role of supervision during practice placement. The following four chapters outline and discuss each of the studies in detail and the final chapters discusses the findings in the …

Dynamic Encapsulation Of C++ Objects, Frank Barrus

Theses

Classes in C++ provide static encapsulation of objects, by generating code which contains specific knowledge about the internals of encapsulated objects. Static encapsulation occurs at compile time, and therefore cannot directly support the evolution of objects, since recompilation of source code is required if the internal layout changes. This also prohibits the use of distributed or persistent objects without first ensuring that the internal representations of the objects match the ones in the compiled code. Dynamic encapsulation occurs at run-time, and allows the compiled code to exist without the knowledge of any particular object representation. Abstract base classes with C++ …

A Research Study To Determine Customer Service At Universities In The Dominican Republic, Thelma Roman

Theses

This study was conducted at Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM), to determine customer service at universities in the Dominican Republic. The sample population consisted of 250 undergraduate students and 16 academic and administrative head of departments. As results indicate, there is lack of evaluating mechanisms to determine customer satisfaction in all departments at PUCMM. The only evaluation in place is a survey done by students every semester to evaluate faculty' s performance and academic quality; nevertheless, such evaluation does not determine customer satisfaction. Furthermore, there are few evaluations to determine students' needs . On the other hand, according …

Education Virtual Communities, Stanley Andersen

Theses

Distance Learning is a prime area for expansion of a new internet business/community model since there is currently no broad-based application servicing this function. The goal of this project is to investigate and prepare the basis for a proposal to a financial backer such as AT&T or one of the large internet service providers. A major part of the paper will investigate the current state of the distance learning internet environment and how to improve it. One of the main improvements concerns the need for a standard interface, which should include a learning tool such as RIT's colloquy software. Continuing/lifelong …

The Impact Of Political And Socio-Economic Strategies On Crime And Service In Developing Countries; A Focus On South Africa, Marna Van Deventer

Theses

The purpose of this study is to examine the current situation of crime and service in South Africa and the various factors influencing it. Strategies and measures taken to address these problems are discussed. Data gathered shows crime rates as compared to the United States of America and major capitals throughout the world. This study shows the impact crime and bad service has had on the tourism industry in South Africa and the necessity to find and implement a holistic plan for the future. Most developing countries in the world are faced with similar issues that are impacting the success …

Public Relations And Politics: A Winning Combination For Public School Bond Issues And Tax Referendums, Cindy L. Gibson

Theses

In 1990 voters in the Ritenour School District approved the first of several bond issues that provided for the renovation of district facilities. Following approval of the bond issues, the district success fully passed a Proposition C Rollback Waiver, a type of tax increase only found in Missouri.

Finding the additional funds to effectively manage today's schools is a national concern . Ritenour School Di strict leaders, like so many other public school officials throughout the United States, sought the financial assistance of their community by conducting tax levy and bond issue elections.

Like most successful political campaigns, school referendums …

The Personality Trait Of Hardiness As It Relates To Bereavement, Janice Dianne Davis

Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between one personality factor concerning the beliefs about one's world to the resolution of grief. The question to be studied was whether unresolved grief was related to levels of hardiness. Thirty individuals served as subjects for this study. They completed the Resolution of Grief Instrument and the Hardiness Scale. Results of the Pearson product-moment correlation showed that a negative relationship exists between hardiness levels and the resolution of grief

University Food Services: Student Dining Expectations, Needs And Wants Versus What Is Actually Received In A Mid-Size University, Anthony Reale

Theses

Not provided.

Digital Image Watermarking Techniques, Christopher Martin

Theses

The ability to resolve ownership disputes and copyright infringement is difficult in the worldwide digital age. There is an increasing need to develop techniques that protect the owner of digital data. Digital Watermarking is a technique used to embed a known piece of digital data within another piece of digital data. The embedded piece of data acts as a fingerprint for the owner, allowing the protection of copyright, authentication of the data, and tracing of illegal copies. The goal of this thesis is to produce two watermarking tools and compare their effectiveness with that of other watermarking tools. One of …

Comparison And Evaluation Of The Moral Significance Of Emotions In Aquinas, The Manualists And Catholic Moral Theology 1960-1990, Thomas Ryan

Theses

This is a comparative study of the moral significance of emotions in Catholic Moral Theology. It is done with reference to Thomas Aquinas, to selected Manualist authors immediately prior to Vatican II, to representative Catholic theologians 1960-1990 and to a sample of contemporary writers from other disciplines. The project argues five points. Firstly, Aquinas sees emotions as designed to have a necessary and constructive significance in moral reasoning and moral development. In their habituated form as affective virtues, they enable a person to have the right emotional responses in terms of their object and intensity. Secondly, the Manualists, by a …

Experimental Study Of Colorant Scattering Properties When Printed On Transparent Media, Anthony Calabria

Theses

It is extremely beneficial to predict the behavior of a printing device. There has been much research done developing printer prediction and simulation models dealing with printing on a paper substrate. This research is a study of the behavior of inks when printed on a transparent substrate. It is an effort to determine the possibility of using ink scattering and transmissive properties to predict the reflectance of the image, and thus help lead to a better understanding of the printing process. The approach taken utilizes the transmittance of the ink and the substrate, and an Expanded Murray-Davies Model of Tone …

Influencing The Growth And Expansion Of Alternative Transportation For St. Charles County, Missouri, Elizabeth A. Johnson

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of communication, leadership and Total Quality Management The case study establishes a link between these concepts and their application, directed at influencing of the growth and expansion of alternative transportation for St Charles County, Missouri.

The subject of TQM is a common point of discussion within the engineering and construction industry, with numerous technical publications written on the subject The primary concern within the industry is the. lack of implementation for continuous improvement and customer satisfaction. Documentation on resistance to change describes why the process of TQM is beneficial, but the issue of …

Water From The Moon, Christopher A. Duggan

Theses

During the scalding, dry summer of 1988, it would appear 23-year-old Dennis Dearbome is at a crossroads. More accurately, he is not on a road of any kind. The only child of affluent parents in suburban Minneapolis, Dennis finds his carefree existence at home unceremoniously ended when, after a string of lost jobs on his part, his parents decide to evict him from their house. At the same time, his father, an influential bank president, lands him a position as an illustrator for a small greeting card company. Dennjs can handle the technical demands of the job because of a …

A Comparison Of Behavior Of Children Of Two Parent Families And Children Of Single Parents And Divorced Parents In The Elementary Classroom Setting, Fran Marlene Sprous

Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess and compare the classroom behavior of students from single and divorced homes to behavior of students from intact two parent homes. The study was designed to examine students' delinquent/problem behaviors. In this study four third grade classes were randomly selected from a Midwestern public school district. The teachers were instructed to observe their students (n=90) for one month. Of the 90 students, 48 were males and 42 were females. After one month the teachers were asked to complete the Behavior Scale-2 on the 90 students. Results suggest that there is a significant …

The Development Of The Business Plan For The Real Estate Appraisal Group, Michele L. Suwe

Theses

This thesis will focus on the study of developing a business plan for a small home-based real estate appraisal company.

Studies indicate that a large percentage of business ventures fail due to a lack of planning . Many entrepreneurs believe that developing a business plan is not necessary if they do not require financing or have adequate personal expertise to operate a business . Although common to large business ventures , a business plan for the start- up and operations of a small business have been widely overlooked.

In today' s market, entrepreneurs are beginning to take business plans more …

Student Activities And Self-Esteem Of Adolescents, Jennifer Spotanski

Theses

This thesis explores the relationship between adolescent self-esteem and participation in student activities. Conducted in a Midwestern public high school, the study involved 111 tenth-grade students who completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and a questionnaire about their involvement in extracurricular activities. The hypothesis proposed that adolescents who participated in school activities would report higher self-esteem than those who did not. Statistical analyses, including t-tests and Pearson correlations, were used to evaluate the data. Results indicated that both male and female students who participated in at least one activity had significantly higher self-esteem scores than nonparticipants. However, a significant positive correlation …

Attachment Styles And Levels Of Enacted Social Support In Adults, Virginia B. Schenck

Theses

Virginia B. Schenck’s thesis explores how adult attachment styles relate to the actual use of social support—known as enacted social support. While much prior research focuses on perceived support (people’s beliefs about the availability of help), this study shifts focus to what people actually do when they need assistance. Schenck surveyed 110 adults using two self-report measures: the Social Support Behaviors Scale and the Attachment Styles Scale. Participants were categorized into secure, avoidant, and preoccupied attachment styles, though the preoccupied group was too small to analyze statistically. The findings showed that adults with avoidant attachment styles reported significantly lower levels …

Academic Variables Related To Achievement: Academic Self-Concept And Academic Motivation, Anita Janice Steinmann

Theses

This study examined the relationship among academic self-concept (ASC), academic motivation (AMOT), and grade point average (GPA) for 125 sophomores in a suburban Illinois high school. The sample was chosen from a pool of sophomore math classes, which had been separated into three levels of ability: Beginning Algebra, Geometry, and Honors Geometry. The Self-Concept of Ability Scale was used to measure academic self-concept and the Achievement Motivation Scale was administered to measure academic motivation. Through archival review, the researcher calculated GPA for each member of the sample. Results indicated that Academic Motivation had a low positive correlation with GP A. …

Differences In Perceived Parental Nurturance Between At Risk High School Male Adolescents And Male Bright Flight College Freshman Students, Elizabeth A. Rudin

Theses

This study investigates differences in perceived parental nurturance between two distinct groups: at-risk high school male adolescents and academically successful male Bright Flight college freshmen. Using the Parental Nurturance Scale (PNS), the researcher measured each participant’s perception of parental care and support. The hypothesis proposed that at-risk adolescents would perceive significantly lower levels of nurturance compared to their college-bound counterparts. Participants included 15 at-risk students from a midwestern alternative high school and 15 Bright Flight freshmen attending a private university, each selected for their contrasting academic and behavioral profiles.

Findings confirmed the hypothesis: Bright Flight students reported notably higher levels …

Is There A Relationship Between Perceived Spousal Support And Marital Satisfaction Of Female Graduate School Students?, Kelle M. Mccallum

Theses

Deciding to return to graduate school as an adult student creates another role for an individual to fulfill Studies have shown that women. especially. feel role strain or conflict more than men when returning to school Little research has been done on the role the woman's spouse plays in her attempts to complete her degree. This correlational study examined perceived spousal support and marital satisfaction among female graduate school students. Thirty-nine female students volunteered for this study. The volunteers completed the Dyadic Adjustment Scale and the Student Relationships Questionnaire The results suggest there is a significant relationship between perceived spousal …

Children's Literature: Reflections Of The Past, Gina M. Mcandrew

Theses

Thirty picture books for children were reviewed in this study. They were compared on the basis of character development. plot. illustrations. technical aspects and marketability. By using these divisions, parallels were drawn among outstanding works which were then compared to the book written in chapter four.

Results showed that many of the outstanding picture books have withstood the test of time. Their longevity is reflected in their ability to entertain and engross the targeted reader. The task for authors of new books is to capture these time-tested, endearing qualities, ensuring success in the publishing industry.

Effects Of Father-Absence On Male Sex Role, Terri L. Portrell

Theses

This study explored the effects that the presence or absence of a father living in the household has on the sex-role development of male children. With an increasing number of males being reared in fatherless, mother-headed families, it is important to understand this phenomenon. Seventy-two male college students, ages 18 to 25, were subjects. Thirty-six were raised in father-present households, while thirty-six were raised in father-absent, mother-headed households. The Bern Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) was employed to assess each subject's sex-role. Past research suggests that males reared without fathers in the home develop a less masculine sex-role orientation and are far …

Secondary Traumatic Stress In Law Enforcement Personnel, William Carl Heusler

Theses

This study was designed to add to the body of empirical knowledge about law enforcement occupational stress utilizing the compassion fatigue/compassion satisfaction model developed by Figley and Stamm. The predictions that intimate contact with trauma victims will increase the risk for compassion fatigue and burnout was evaluated yielding results that established no difference between law enforcement personnel with direct contact and those that had little or no contact with trauma victims. The suggestion that secondary trauma has a cumulative effect on persons exposed over time was also investigated showing that in this population of police officers, a cumulative impact did …

A Comparison Of Body-Esteem In Adolescent Girls Between The Hutterite And Mainstream Western Cultures, Amanda Ann Walgren

Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural basis of body-esteem and negative body image in adolescent females. This study focused on the differences between the culture of the Hutterites, an Anabaptist communal society, and the mainstream Western culture in the same geographic area. The Body-Esteem Scale (Mendelson & White, 1982) was administered to 35 Hutterite and 31 mainstream girls between the ages of 12 and 17. The Hutterite girls were found to have significantly higher body-esteem scores than the mainstream girls. These findings add to the vast amount of research linking body-esteem to cultural factors. Several possible …

Intimacy In Men: The Androgynous Male, Melissa Jane Hillig

Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between intimacy and masculinity in men. Subjects completed the Bern Sex Role Inventory (BSRI). The scores were then correlated with levels of intimacy, as measured by the Miller Social Intimacy Scale (MSIS). The scores were determined for sixty-two male. middle class, volunteers, aged eighteen and above. The outcome of the study showed a significant inverse correlation between intimacy and masculinity, and a modest positive correlation between femininity and intimacy. Androgynous individuals reported a significantly higher degree of intimacy than masculine individuals.

An Evaluation Of Home Based Family Services, Tia L. Liston

Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of home-based family therapy by analyzing existing data from a local agency. Files from the past year containing a complete referral form, a client satisfaction survey and follow-up forms from six months and a year, were evaluated to determine the level of client satisfaction. The data was analyzed to determine the differences in frequency of types of difficulties addressed. Data was also analyzed to determine factors related to successful outcomes. Based on results, it was determined that home-based services were successful. An evaluation of types of services and difficulties were …

Exploring The Attitudes Of Parents And Students Toward Homework, Pearl A. Jackson

Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the attitudes of parents and students toward homework. Since homework can be an effective learning experience for students and can involve parents in their children's education, the researcher sought to gain an insight into the area of homework as seen from the perspective of these individuals. The study examined the attitudes of 30 parents and 30 students in a Sixth Grade Center in St. Louis County. Data for the study was collected by having each of the study's participants complete an attitude survey related to the subject of homework. The results were …

Effects Of Nonstandard Work Schedules On Marital Satisfaction Among Law Enforcement Officers, Annette Marie Jansen

Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in level of marital satisfaction among police officers who worked standard hours (day shift) and those who worked nonstandard hours (afternoon/midnight shifts). Thirty police officers employed during standard hours, and 33 police officers employed during nonstandard hours were administered a demographic questionnaire and the Index of Marital Satisfaction Inventory. Scores were tabulated and it was concluded that there was not a significant difference in marital satisfaction among the two groups (t = -.483; p = .631).