Digital Commons Network^™

Self-Assessed Dakota Language Fluency And Suggested Strategies For Language Revitalization On The Spirit Lake Nation, Ruth Ellen De Larios

Theses and Dissertations

This study provides a background of the status of the Dakota language as it is spoken on the Spirit Lake Nation in northeast North Dakota. The study examined Dakota language fluency, environments where the language is used, and suggested strategies for revitalization. In order to determine the aforementioned, a brief Survey for Grant for Revitalization of Tribal Languages (Survey) was implemented. This assessment of community fluency and interest was essential to obtaining an Administration for Native Americans grant to develop a language revitalization effort that came to be known as the Dakota la UnspepHLanguage Preservation Program.

The Survey for Grant …

Concentrated Hog Feeding Operations And The Animal Rights Movement: A Website Diagnostic Frame Analysis, Venita M. Quamme

Theses and Dissertations

The volume of online texts designating hog concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) as problematic serves to illustrate an emerging social problem. The purpose of this exploratory study was to investigate how five online animal advocate organizations present hog CAFOs as problematic, and warranting intervention. The units of study include: The Animal Welfare Institute, Farm Sanctuary, Humane Farming Association, Humane Society of the United States, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Together, they represent an integral part of the animal rights movement, a descriptive label that does not imply consensus regarding animal “rights.”

In the procedures used to explore …

A Survey Of The Effectiveness Of Mandatory Treatment For Domestic Violence Offenders, Jeanne J. Lemay

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

The Perceptions Of Interns In A Professional Development School Program, Stacy K. Duffeild

Theses and Dissertations

Teacher preparation programs are being reviewed nationwide for their effectiveness. Questions such as "Are teacher candidates thoughtfully practicing good teaching?" and "What can be done to better support these candidates as they prepare to become teachers?" need to be studied. The loss of teachers after initial professional teaching experiences can often be attributed to poor preparation and lack of support of these professionals, which results in feelings of isolation and frustration. One model of teacher preparation, the Professional Development School (PDS) endeavors to create the potential for teacher candidates, called interns, to become immersed into the environment of an elementary …

Coronary Artery Disease And Noncardiac Surgery: Considerations In Anesthesia Nursing, Michelle L. Maund

Theses and Dissertations

The issue addressed in this paper was the concept of patients with coronary artery disease going for non-cardiac surgery, including anesthesia considerations during surgery. The exploration of anesthesia considerations in patients with a history of coronary artery disease is important, because the nurse anesthetist needs to: a) be aware of the incidence of coronary artery disease, b) be knowledgeable regarding the pathophysiology involved in coronary artery disease to assist in prompt diagnosis and treatment of ischemia, c) plan and carry out an appropriate anesthetic plan during surgery, d) be knowledgeable in the treatment of a patient who suffers a myocardial …

A First Year Teacher's Reflective Portfolio, Brook A. Ekstrom

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Modeling Electromagnetic Wave Propagation In Electrically Large Structures, Jon Wallace

Theses and Dissertations

Existing unified numerical electromagnetic methods are often unable to analyze electrically large structures due to the amount of memory and processing power required, necessitating approximate analyses with limited applicability. In this research a hybrid modeling methodology is adopted to solve these complex problems more efficiently than unified numerical methods and more accurately than analytical methods. Electromagnetic modeling problems are divided into two or more levels of scale. Each level analyzes a specific level of detail and only promotes the required information to the next level. The method is demonstrated by successful application to three important problems: (1) remote sensing of …

The Formative Evaluation Of A Family Life Education Website, Brynn Marie Steimle

Theses and Dissertations

Hundreds of family life education (FLE) websites are now available on the Internet, allowing individuals and families unprecedented access to FLE information. Evaluation is critical to ensuring the quality of and improving FLE websites, yet few FLE website evaluations have been conducted. This study formatively evaluated a new family life education website, called Forever Families (http://www.foreverfamilies.net or http://foreverfamilies.byu.edu), assessing website utilization using Web-based software, and receiving visitor feedback through the use of an online survey. Quantitative survey items assessed knowledge gains, how interesting the content was, usefulness, attractiveness, ease of use of the website, whether or not the site met …

An Exploratory Study Of Student Satisfaction Of The Rowan University Recreation Center, Joseph J. Dougherty Iii

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study is to explore the extent of student satisfaction with the Rowan University Recreation Center. A convenience sample of 151 students who frequented the recreation center was used to determine students' perceptions of the facility on a number of factors. The study showed that the recreation center rated higher than all other comparable student services both in importance to the student and satisfaction with the service provided. The recreation center was also very successful in terms of getting students involved, much more so than any other campus group or activity. The results showed that the recreation …

Analysis And Design Of Surface Micromachined Micromanipulators For Out-Of-Plane Micropositioning, Kimberly A. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis introduces two ortho-planar MEMS devices that can be used to position microcomponents: the XZ Micropositioning Mechanism and the XYZ Micromanipulator. The displacement and force relationships are presented. The devices were fabricated using surface micromachining processes and the resulting mechanisms were tested. A compliant XYZ Micromanipulator was also designed to reduce backlash and binding. In addition, several other MEMS positioners were fabricated and tested: the Micropositioning Platform Mechanism (MPM), the Ortho-planar Twisting Micromechanism (OTM), and the Ortho-planar Spring Micromechanism (OSM).

Real-Time Adaptive Cancellation Of Satellite Interference In Radio Astronomy, Andrew Joseph Poulsen

Theses and Dissertations

Radio astronomy is the science of observing the heavens at radio frequencies, from a few kHz to approximately 300 GHz. In recent years, radio astronomy has faced a growing interference problem as radio frequency (RF) bandwidth has become an increasingly scarce commodity. A programmable real-time DSP least-mean-square interference canceller was developed and demonstrated as a successful method of excising satellite down-link signals from both an experimental platform at BYU, and the Green Bank Telescope at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in West Virginia. A performance analysis of this cancellation system in the radio astronomy radio frequency interference (RFI) mitigation regime …

The United States In El Salvador: 1979-1992 Success Through The Eyes Of The Diplomats, David Jeffrey Mouritsen

Theses and Dissertations

The United States made El Salvador one of its top priorities in the 1980s as the communist threat from the Soviet Union made its way to El Salvador. The Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group, the Farabundo Martí­ National Liberation Front (FMLN), was supported by the Soviet Union via Cuba and became the target of the hard line politicians that ruled in El Salvador.

In order to combat the guerrilla movement, the United States structured its policy around national security to justify intervention in El Salvador. The three main points of the policy were to prevent a left-wing takeover by the communist-backed FMLN, …

The Multiple Dimensions Of Negative Attitudes Toward School Among Students In An Urban High School Environment, Scott W. Revell

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the sources of negative attitudes in a high school environment through interviews and journal writing as a basis for qualitative data. A sample of convenience was chosen that included six students with varied characteristics of interest for the study. Students were asked to respond to journal prompts at 3-day intervals and were interviewed for 25 minutes regarding their attitude toward school. Sources identified in this study to be contributors to a negative attitude toward school are incompatible teachers and teaching style, failure to have basic needs of the students met, and the …

Multienergetic External-Beam Pixe As A Means Of Stydying The Surface Enrichment Effect In Coins, Scott Evans Perry

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper examines the feasibility of using external-beam PIXE to study the surface enrichment effect in metal artifacts. By varying the energy of the incident proton beam, we penetrated the artifact's surface to different levels and were able to produce a depth profile of the elemental composition of the sample. In this study, the sample set we chose to examine consisted of ancient and modern coins. This paper first describes the surface enrichment effect and theoretically how PIXE can be used to study it. It then details the construction of the components of the external-beam setup. Many of the …

Ruling Powers, Scot A. Hanson

Theses and Dissertations

While the fantasy genre is one of the most widely read modes of writing, literary criticism and academic discussion of the genre takes place at a much lower level. This imbalance has developed in part because of a misconception that fantasy genre writings cannot accomplish significant, literary purposes. This thesis first offers an argument for why the fantasy genre should receive more attention in scholarly circles, then presents an excerpt of a fantasy novel. The argument draws from the limited amount of existing criticism to highlight the strengths of the fantasy genre, building a case that, in most respects, works …

Reducing Learning Object Inspection/Evaluation Costs In Instructional Design, Larry Lynn Seawright

Theses and Dissertations

A widely employed instructional design approach, the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model, has been one of the most popular and well documented instructional design models (Wilson, Jonassen, and Cole, 1993) for decades. Despite its widespread use, Thiagarajan, a leading instructional technologist, asserts that ADDIE, as an instructional design approach, is comparable to an outdated 1950's manufacturing model (Zemke, 2002). Since the 1950's, manufacturing has evolved, focusing initially on reducing inspection or evaluation costs and later on shifting these cost improvements throughout the organization. Just as manufacturing models and their application have evolved, service operations models such as instructional …

Development Of An Advanced Stem Heating Model, Joshua L. Jones

Theses and Dissertations

A new one-dimensional heat conduction model for predicting stem heating during fires is presented. The model makes use of moisture and temperature dependent thermal properties for bark and wood. Also, the thermal aspects of the processes of bark swelling, desiccation, and devolatilization are treated in an approximate fashion. Simulation with a surface flux boundary condition requires that these phenomena be accounted for. Previous models have used temperature-time boundary conditions, which prevents them from being directly coupled to fire behavior models. This model uses a flux-time profile for its boundary condition, making it possible to eventually couple it to fire behavior …

Efficacy Of Speed Monitoring Displays In Increasing Speed Limit Compliance In Highway Work Zones, Jeanne Marie Bowie

Theses and Dissertations

Safety in highway work zones has become a concern among Departments of Transportation (DOTs) throughout the country as the highway network has begun to age and more maintenance and construction work has been necessary. Safety in highway work zones is more compromised than in other areas for two reasons. First, the construction workers are near traveling vehicles as they perform their already dangerous work, increasing the risk of an accident. Second, the highway user is at increased risk because of the increase in roadside obstacles, because other vehicles are more likely to act in unpredictable ways (such as sudden braking …

Characterization Of Environmentally Friendly Polymers: Amylopectin And Its Blends, Mohammad Osman Melibari

Theses and Dissertations

Biodegradable polymers are desirable for a variety of applications, such as in packaging, agriculture, and medicine. Its biological degradation by microorganisms accelerated the interest in biodegradable polymers during the last decades. Within this group of innovative environmentally friendly biodegradable polymers, starch or Amylpectin plays a predominant role, due to their potential biodegradability. This research was attempted to characterize Amylopectin to obtain its physio-chemical properties. In addition, characterizations were extended to include blends of Amylopectin and biodegradable diluents. Blends of Amylopectin with biodegradable diluents including Polycaprolactone, Poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide), and Poly(3- hydroxybutyric acid) were prepared. The physical properties and the thermodynamic characteristics of …

The Effect Of Character Education On Student Behavior, Cindy Patella

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if character education addressed directly through lesson plans would have an effect on behavior of students when they are not under supervision of the classroom teacher. The researcher observed the students' social interactions in the experimental group and the control group in various settings in a pre and post observation period. Behavior was recorded on a behavior chart listing both positive and negative behaviors. There were 19 students in the experimental group and 22 students in the control group. The study found a slight positive change in behavior for those students in …

The Benefits Of Public Appearances For A Sports Figure's Image, Andrea L. Pujat

Theses and Dissertations

In this day and age of high salaries, free agency and shuffling around from city to city and team to team, sports figures are not concerned with being role models. Public appearances, management of image and the distinct understanding of how actions affect fan approval are being ignored.

This study examines the benefits of public appearances for a sports figure's image and examines if there is a discrepancy between what executives think fans feel is important and what fans really feel is important.

Six interviews were conducted with sports executives and sports professionals to gather information about the views of …

A Public Relations Approach To Recruiting Studio Audiences For Start-Up Shows, Chekesha K. Bunch

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis sought to determine the methods audience coordinators used to recruit studio audiences. This portion of the thesis included a ten-question interview emailed to audience coordinators for current daytime talk shows in New York City. Interviews were also conducted with production executives and a director to determine the purpose and significance of audience as well as audience-related costs.

Second, the thesis sought to answer what audiences like and dislike, what they have done, what they will do, and what they believe as it pertains to studio attendance. This portion of the thesis included a fifteen-question survey addressing incentives, show …

Public Perception: Comparing Tobacco Industry Public Relations Campaigns Of Today And Yesteryear, Cristin E. Kastner

Theses and Dissertations

This study compared public perception of tobacco industry public relations campaigns of today and yesteryear. Little study has been devoted to the public's changing perception of tobacco public relations since the Master Settlement Agreement changed tobacco public relations efforts in 1998.

Written history of tobacco industry public relations served as the base of determining perception of yesteryear. Surveying 281 undergraduate Rowan University students determined today's public perception of tobacco industry public relations.

Significant survey findings include:

• 80 percent felt the tobacco industry is not honest about the products it sells
• Half said the tobacco industry should not run its own …

Perceptions Of Public Relations: Key Communicators Share Their Opinions, Kamali A. Brooks

Theses and Dissertations

This study had three main purposes: first, determine how key communicators (those who talk to many people on a daily basis and share their opinions with others) in today's society feel about the public relations field; second, show that positive public relations does take place; and third, change the negative perceptions society holds for public relations, so that public relations will lose its negative image.

The author used many sources to obtain research for this thesis, including Rowan University's on-line databases, the University of Delaware's on-line databases, Internet searches, the Rowan catalogue, DELCAT and Temple University.

The author collected data …

Identification Of Macro- And Micro-Compliant Mechanism Configurations Resulting In Bistable Behavior, Brian D. Jensen

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to identify the configurations of several mechanism classes which result in bistable behavior. Bistable mechanisms have use in many applications, such as switches, clasps, closures, hinges, and so on. A powerful method for the design of such mechanisms would allow the realization of working designs much more easily than has been possible in the past. A method for the design of bistable mechanisms is especially needed for micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) because fabrication and material constraints often prevent the use of simple, well-known bistable mechanism configurations. In addition, this knowledge allows designers to take advantage …

A Self-Retracting Fully-Compliant Bistable Micromechanism, Nathan D. Masters

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research is to present a class of Self-Retracting Fully-compliant Bistable Micromechanisms (SRFBM). Fully-compliant mechanisms are needed to overcome the inherent limitations of microfabricated pin joints, especially in bistable mechanisms. The elimination of the clearances associated with pin joints will allow more efficient bistable mechanisms with smaller travel. Small travel, in a linear path facilitates integration with efficient on-chip actuators. Tensural pivots are developed and used to deal with the compressive loading to which the mechanism is subject. SRFBM are modeled using the Pseudo-Rigid-Body Model and finite element analysis. Suitable configurations of the SRFBM concept have been …

Iteration Methods For Approximating The Lowest Order Energy Eigenstate Of A Given Symmetry For One- And Two-Dimensional Systems, Chad Everett Junkermeier

Theses and Dissertations

Using the idea that a quantum mechanical system drops to its ground state as its temperature goes to absolute zero several operators are devised to enable the approximation of the lowest order energy eigenstate of a given symmetry; as well as an approximation to the energy eigenvalue of the same order.

Aids In The African-American Community: Celebrities As An Ineffective Communication Strategy, Wendy A. Robinson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to determine whether using celebrities to deliver HIV/AIDS prevention awareness messages to the African-American community is an effective public relations strategy.

Celebrities are used to persuade people to buy shoes, cars, toothpaste, etc., but can they persuade people to change risky behavior: protecting themselves and others from the spread of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases?

Research conducted for this thesis found celebrities to be effective tools when their actions coincide or mirror the message. Celebrities that are perceived to be irresponsible or whose lyrics and/or actions do not coincide with safe-sex aren't taken …

Development Of In-Plane Compliant Bistable Microrelays, Troy Alan Gomm

Theses and Dissertations

Bistable microrelays have many possible applications and have the potential to reduce the size, weight, power consumption, and cost of products in which they are used. This research outlines the current state of microrelays, presents three new compliant bistable micromechanisms, and characterizes their performance as microrelays. The characterization includes a treatment of a new force-tester, a preliminary contact resistance study, contact-force measurements, switching time measurements, insertion loss, AC isolation, breakdown voltage, and DC isolation. This document also includes recommendations for further research.

Does The Accelerated Reader Program Motivate Fifth Grade Students To Read Beyond The Classroom?, Paula A. Girard

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this qualitative research were to (a) determine if the Renaissance Accelerated Reader program provided motivation for fifth grade students to read beyond the classroom; and (b) to determine if the Accelerated Reader program acted as a catalyst to affect changes in students' reading behaviors as a result of extrinsic rewards. Seventy-six students participated in the study between October 2002 and March 2003. Results showed that students were clearly motivated by extrinsic rewards and preferred choosing to read books on the Accelerated Reader list to those that did not have an accompanying A.R. quiz. Rewards, points and recognition …