Digital Commons Network^™

Reconfiguring Phenomena Of Presence, Erika Strickland

Theses

Not included

Audience Feedback As An Influence On Graphic Design Problem Solving, Christopher Petrides

Theses

User-generated feedback is arguably the most efficient tool to evaluate a specific product or service. Even though it is widely used to evaluate and subsequently improve video game design, it is not commonly used for graphic design applications. The aim of this thesis is to demonstrate how user-generated feedback can be utilized to improve existing graphic design applications. Specifically, three types of feedback collection vehicles were selected for use in graphic design: personal observation, evaluation polls, and existing video game design feedback. In order to demonstrate the advantage of using user generated feedback, information collected through the feedback collection vehicles …

The Specter Of Nature, Stephanie Clark

Theses

The Specter of Nature is a photographic series that examines the tenuous boundaries between culture and Nature. Through this thesis, I address how, within culture, Nature is defined, distorted, fantasized and then realized through various forms of representation. To this end, Nature historically serves as a backdrop in culturally constructed fantasies and storytelling, as well as historically playing a role in the development of a female identity. The Specter of Nature,examines these concerns through staged photographs of settings created from fabrics and cutouts of decorative papers. By cutting along the patterns embedded in materials such as wrapping papers, wallpapers, scrapbooking …

Impact Of Relational Marketing Of Laptops: High Tech Product Adoptions In A Retail Setting, Anirudha Vasant Bansod

Theses

Marketing has developed from using a simple transactional model to a more sophisticated relational orientation model. Selling and marketing practices are different according to the culture of a country, purchasing power parity, economical situations, political conditions, the demand versus supply gap ratio and the socioeconomic conditions of the market place. Academics have translated these factors into a simple sales discipline. However, every region and country has its own style of business.

The business problem in this study was to understand ‘how retailers develop effective marketing strategies to increase the consumer’s propensity to buy high-tech products from their retail stores in …

Research For Ansi Accredited “Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certificate Program” In Packaging Science For Undergraduate Students, Ankush Sharma

Theses

This research project is a result of a problem-solving proposal that was submitted to Program Chair Dr. Daniel Goodwin on June 28, 2010. The proposal recommends that RIT’s Packaging Science Program establish a unique Lean Six Sigma Green Belt in Packaging Science Certificate program for undergraduate students. The proposal was developed as a result of receiving input from the RIT Packaging Industrial Advisory Board, from researching packaging job descriptions and from Professor Dr. Duane P. Beck’s extensive Lean Six Sigma experience. Students who are successful in receiving the certificate will be able to demonstrate problem-solving skills in the packaging industry. …

Teleworking: An Examination Of The Irish Dichotomy, Deirdre Donovan

Theses

Changing demographics and labour market structures are placing increased pressure on identifying work/life balance solutions, while global competition is forcing companies to look beyond traditional solutions to search for competitive advantage. Recent rapid technology developments facilitate a strategic application of teleworking, which, in suitable organisations, would appear to alleviate both of these issues. Despite this, the limited evidence that exists in the telework literature indicates a dearth of telework in Irish companies, and recent research on the reasons for this, form a gap in the literature.

This study, therefore, empirically examines the key factors that influence the extent of telework …

A Study Of The Pr & Marketing Tactics Used In The Gaming Industry., David Hurley

Theses

The gaming industry in Ireland has changed greatly in the last 20 years. The way in which we communicate has also changed greatly in this time due to technological advancements. This advanced technology has greatly changed the way in which the gaming industry works, as there has been a massive increase in popularity in recent years thanks to the advent of online gaming.

This study aims to examine and gain an understanding of the public relations and marketing tactics being promoted by both game developers and the organisations that supply them. It also assesses the overall impact the gaming industry …

Exploring The Impact Of Social Media On Regional Festivals In Ireland: A Public Relations Perspective, Niamh Mccarthy

Theses

This study looks into the area of social media use in Irish festivals from a public relations perspective. The aim of the study is to provide an understanding of the effect social media is having on the regional festival industry in Ireland.

The study also accesses how social media has affected the public relations industry and reveals the predicted future of social media in Ireland. I’he study used a qualitative method of research through use of semi-structured interviews. Interviews were carried out face-to-face, online and on the telephone. All interviewees in the study had relevant experience in the social media …

Extra Food Intake And Depressive Symptoms In Adolescents: Is There A Relationship?, Elizabeth Bradshaw

Theses

This pilot study explored the potential role of food on young people’s mental health. Specifically, the aim was to determine if a relationship exists between extra food intake and depressive symptoms in adolescents’ age 12-17 years. It has been documented that mental health problems in young people result from a complex interaction of risk and protective factors. Eating behaviours and food intake has been investigated in early adolescence (age 10-14), however the specific contribution of extra food on depressive symptoms in mid adolescence has not been determined.

Extra food intake and depressive symptoms were collected from girls and boys in …

Spatio-Temporal Querying And Retrieval System Using Gamepad, Vineetha Bettaiah

Theses

No abstract provided.

Monte Carlo Comparison Of Back-Propagation, Conjugate-Gradient, And Finite-Difference Training Algorithms For Multilayer Perceptrons, Stephen Wehry

Theses

Monte Carlo Simulation is used to compare the performance of the Back-Propagation, Conjugate-Gradient, and Finite-Difference algorithms when training simple Multilayer Perceptron networks to solve pattern recognition and bit counting problems. Twelve individual simulations will be run for each training algorithm-test problem combination, resulting in an overall total of 72 simulations. The random elements in each Monte Carlo simulation are to be the individual synaptic weights between layers, which will be uniformly distributed. Two other factors, the size of the hidden layer and the exponent of the error function, will also be tested within the simulation plan outlined above.

An Analysis Of The Implementation-Potential Of The Threaded Engram Database Model, Sourabh Mehta

Theses

The row-and-column orientation of the Relational Database Model is optimized for the storage of "data," but is not optimized for the storage of "information." This capstone project, researches the different human memory models, in-order to understand how memories are formed and how independent memories are linked together. The memory models explored include the Atkinson-Shiffrin memory model, Baddeley's model of working memory, and the Memory-Prediction model. The results of this investigation of human memory serve as a foundation for the design and implementation of a new database model, called the Threaded Engram Database (TED) model.

A Sense Of Place: Branding The Richardson Olmsted Complex Through Architectural Motif, Lisa Mauro

Theses

(keywords: Henry Hobson Richardson, Frederick Law Olmsted, Thomas Kirkbride, Romanesque architecture, Buffalo State Asylum for the Insane, 19th century English design reformers, Richardsonian Romanesque, motif, psychology of pattern, pattern design, architectural ornament, place-branding, Buffalo, NY) Motif design and repeat patterns have been used to decorate, communicate and imbue surface with meaning across cultures and eras. It is also evident that pattern satisfies a fundamental psychological need in humans for order and beauty. Motifs are a well-suited graphic design basis from which to create an effective branding strategy with potential to communicate with a subliminal power and in a way that …

The Effect Of Stress On Story Generation, Elizabeth J. Mcclung

Theses

No abstract provided.

On The Power Of Secondary Confessions, Stacy Ann Wetmore

Theses

No abstract provided.

Revisiting Scriblerian Satire : "Martinus Scriblerus," Pope, And Swift, William K. Medlen

Theses

No abstract provided.

How Can We Nurture And Develop Creativity In First Year Design Students, Kerry Meakin

Theses

This research paper investigates the perceptions of first year third level design students regarding their creative thinking and use of creative strategies, while studying a first year design based curriculum in an Institute of Technology in Dublin. The research was conducted in a three-phase, sequential project. The first phase, questioned twenty seven students by issuing anonymous questionnaires to gather data on their methods of incubating design ideas, if they experienced any levels of anxiety when doing so, and their satisfaction levels in their design and creative abilities. Literature was reviewed to discover the attributes of those we perceive as creative …

Directing Beyond The Boundaries: A Director's Journey To Personal Style In Directing Diaspora, Mary Elizabeth Wlodarczyk

Theses

Even though, the text of Diaspora was technically "mine" in the sense that J wrote Diaspora, the play text itself became a separate creature at its completion. So the production of Diaspora was not so much my directing a play I wrote, as much as it was an agreement between me and the new text, an autonomous life. In this exacting negotiation, I had to chose where I reside on the spectrum directing philosophies, whether I would embrace complete fidelity to the text or would I see the directing process as more intuitive and flexible (Benedetti 14-15)?

The writers and …

Perspectives Of Women In Leadership Roles: Working Through The Change, Philippa Gavranich

Theses

The majority of women will experience perimenopausal symptoms (Hickey, Davis & Sturdee, 2005; MacLennan, 2009) with an estimated 20% of those experiencing severe symptoms (Hickey et al., 2005). Many of these symptoms have the potential to directly or indirectly affect work performance including hot flushes and night sweats which are experienced by 85% of perimenopausal women (Baldo, Schneider, & Slyter, 2003). Symptoms may begin several years before the cessation of menstruation and may last well into old age (MacLennan, 2009).

This research sought to explore the perceived impact of perimenopausal symptoms on women in leadership roles: how they managed symptoms; …

The Role Of The Virtues In Christian Discipleship In James Keenan Sj And William Spohn: A Comparative Investigation, Nicola Jane Borg

Theses

As Christians, the basis for our moral development and consequent actions is rooted in our relationship with Jesus Christ. To the extent that we respond to the love of God, open ourselves to ongoing conversion, allow of our consciences to be formed by His truth, recognise and repent of sin in our lives and strive to develop the virtues is the extent to which we will grow as disciples of Jesus. Both James Keenan and William Spohn have used virtues ethics to investigate various aspects of this call and our moral response. Keenan’s principal concern seems to be the nature …

Exploring The Development Of Student Leadership Potential Within A Catholic School: A Qualitative Case Study, Gregory Hine

Theses

The focus of this research was student leadership and student leadership development in a Catholic secondary school. Central to the thesis were the leadership experiences and self-perceptions of elected students aged 15-17 years as they participated in the school’s leadership program. These insights helped the researcher characterise the functioning Program of student leadership at the school, and to discern what kinds of leaders are produced through its efforts.

The review of literature considered five established leadership models: transactional leadership, transformational leadership, charismatic leadership, servant leadership, and distributed leadership. These models were analysed with regards to their strengths, limitations, and potential …

‘One Foot In Wales And My Vowels In England’: Double-Consciousness In The Work Of Dylan Thomas, Karl Powell

Theses

Dylan Thomas once made a throwaway observation that he was a border case: regarded in England as Welsh and living in Wales as an Englishman. He claimed he was living with one foot in Wales and his vowels in England. The aim of this dissertation is to examine the phenomenon of double-consciousness arising in the work and life of Thomas. Based on W.E.B. du Bois’ theory of Double-Consciousness, it is argued that due to being raised to speak only English by Welsh-speaking parents, Thomas developed a cultural awareness to both cultures and found himself caught between identifying himself as either …

Predicting Someone's True Identity: Linguistic Norms And Cues In Online Personal Advertisements, Lindsay Elliott

Theses

Internet dating is now ranked third as the way people meet, behind meeting at work or school, and through a friend or family member. This study researches the use of social and linguistic norms in online dating advertisements. Previous research has posed that social groups create unique identities and group members will selectively present themselves in ways consistent with these identities. Using Craigslist to assess the similarities and differences between genders and sexualities in online personal postings, an online quiz-like survey was created. This research reports on people's abilities to predict the sexual orientation and gender of the writer based …

Gender Differences In Resilience In The Emerging Adulthood Population, Erin Bezek

Theses

Risk factors and protective factors influence an individual's resilience. For this study archival data collected from Rochester Institute of Technology college students were used. Specifically the participants' responses on the 16PF- Adolescent Personality Questionnaire (APQ) Life Difficulties Scale (LDS) were analyzed. After reconfiguring the Life Difficulties Scale using the literature review to analyze the items, results indicated that specific items can be considered risk factors, whereas others can be considered protective factors. Results from this emerging adulthood population did not indicate gender differences in the risk and protective factors.

Project: Love Yours, Wei Hsiao

Theses

Project: Love Yours is a graduate thesis project that examined the importance of emotional attachments to product longevity in the context of problems where our material culture is distant and disposable. Through research memory was identified as an influential factor in attachment formation. By incorporating the philosophical concept of imperfection as a design strategy to stimulate the process of memory building, three concept solutions were developed. The design implementation in four product prototypes proves to be successful in encouraging memories to grow within each product. As ownership continues over the years, we can anticipate memories to accumulate and build up …

The Effect Of Dividing Attention On The Maintenance Of Object Representations, Jillian Christine Mayer

Theses

Numerous theories have been developed in explanation of object perception, such as Feature Integration Theory, which posits that an object is perceived after two stages: a pre-attentive stage and a focused attention stage. It is during the focused attention stage that a representation of the perceived object is formed. Theories such as object file theory account for the maintenance of these object representations following their creation. Evidence for object file theory has been provided by studies of the object specific preview benefit. This thesis seeks to examine the effect that dividing attention has on the maintenance of object representations. Using …

The Influence Of Auditory Cues On Visual Spatial Perception, Joseph W. Geeseman

Theses

Traditional psychophysical studies have been primarily unimodal experiments due to the ease in which a single sense can be isolated in a laboratory setting. This study, however, presents participants with auditory and visual stimuli to better understand the interaction of the two senses in visuospatial perception. Visual stimuli, presented as Gaussian distributed blobs, moved laterally across a computer monitor to a central location and "bounced" back to their starting position. During this passage across the screen, a brief auditory "click" was presented via headphones. Participants were asked to respond to the bounce of the ball, and response latency was recorded. …

Differences In Personality Factors And College Major Choice, Jennifer Smith

Theses

The transition from secondary education to post-secondary education is stressful for all students. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA 2004) only mandates transition plans for students receiving special education services. Career assessments and transition services should encourage career exploration which requires students to have knowledge about oneself and the world of work. When career assessments provide students with this information, they may be more informed on what major to choose. The purpose of this study was to look at group differences among college majors and their personality factors as measured by the Sixteen Personality Questionnaire, 5th Edition (16PF-5). …

Exploring Taoism Philosophy: A Visual Interactive Interpretation, Yang Dan

Theses

Thesis URL: http://www.yangdan.info/thesis Exploring Taoism Philosophy: A Visual Interactive Interpretation is an interactive graphic design project which introduces the Taoism philosophy to college students, it's also a personal graphic interpretation of Taoism. This project is a flash website that runs on any computer that has access to the Internet. My goal for this project is to explore the history, principles, and rules of Taoism philosophy, its applications in modern society and to interpret Taoism through creative interactive graphic solutions based on personal understanding. My targeted audience is college students from 18 to 25 who have interests in Taoism, philosophy, or …

Appendages, Emily Winton

Theses

Appendages explores my sexuality, identity and the concepts of heteronormativity, queer theory, and gender norms. Through the creation of sculptures called DilNO's, I was able to engage the audience in experiencing my interpretation of my own sexuality. By mocking and bending the concept of the dildo, I was challenging the stereotypes of gender, and lesbian sexuality and intimacy. The sensations of touching and feeling played a vital role in both the creation and presentation of the pieces in my thesis exhibition. Moving from my previous photographic work into the three-dimensional realm of sculpture helped me express the physical and sensual …