Digital Commons Network^™

Biculturalism And Native American College Students' Performance On The Wais-Iii, Teton Ducheneaux

Theses and Dissertations

Consideration of cultural appropriateness in using Westem-European standardized intelligence measures with Native Americans for clinical and educational purposes has been neglected by professionals in the field of clinical assessment. Some studies suggest the possibility of a “Native American Pattern” on such tests, indicating a consistent, yet little-understood discrepancy. The present study investigated the impact of cultural identification of Native American college students on the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III). The study assessed the relationship between cultural identification and cognitive-testing scores between two groups of Native American college students. The first group consisted of off-reservation Native American students attending the …

Nicolas Berdyaev: An Intellectual Journey, Marianna Westbrook Byman

Theses and Dissertations

Nicholas Alexsandrovich Berdyaev, 1874–1948, was part of the historic events that changed the course of Russian history. He lived through them and wrote about them for his entire adult life. Berdyaev not only pondered the agony of Russia's past, but he contemplated the possibilities of Russia's future.

Berdyaev was a deeply Russian thinker, and like Russia, he presented the world with a paradox. Outside of Russia he was perhaps the best known and the most widely read of Russian philosophers, but inside of Russia seldom read and little known. The paradox of Berdyaev extended to his life, his writings, and …

Activity Levels Of Children And Youth: Monitoring Heart Rate Versus Objective Observation, Rebecca J. Swift

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate children’s physical activity levels when assessed by two methods—heart rates and direct observation. Forty-one participants wore Polar Vantage XL HR Monitors and were videotaped in various situations. Videotape analysis was done using the Children’s Activity Record System (CARS). Heart rates and CARS data were recorded concurrently every 10 seconds.

Primary research questions included: (a) is there a correlation between heart rates (HR) and observed activity level, (b) do gender differences exist, and if so, what are the differences in observed activity levels, (c) are there gender differences in Lean rates at various …

Creating A Literary Café: A Mouthwatering Guide To Adolescents Who Read And Respond, Heather Olson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Jewish Exile And Immigration: Re-Imagining Home On The North Dakota Prairie, Jason Zevenbergen

Theses and Dissertations

From the memoirs of several Jewish homesteaders in North Dakota, one observes a series of binaries between Diaspora and homeland and between Jewish Orthodoxy and more liberal forms of Jewishness. The writers of these memoirs generally produce these binaries through two methods. First, the content they introduce in their stories reflects opposing categories of Jewishness, such as Orthodox and Reform Judaism, that significantly frame the nature of their relationships to their families, local community, and country. Second, when the writers transfer stories from their past into the contemporary moment, they juxtapose a previous self with their present self at the …

Take My Thesis…Please! The Art Of Stand-Up Comedy, Kyle J. Dukart

Theses and Dissertations

In my thesis, I explore the artistry of stand-up comedy primarily by concentrating on five aspects of the genre that one generally uses to discuss literature: theme, persona, language, narrative structure, and audience. My purpose is to critically analyze a mode of artistic expression that is rarely given serious academic consideration

To accomplish this purpose I researched various theories of comedy and then proceeded to listen to and read about dozens of stand-up comedians. Using my own and other's knowledge of comedy and literature, I then closely analyze parts of routines from ten of the comedians I studied, including Lenny …

The Historical Influence And Legacy Of The Alaskan Boundary Dispute, Steve Mallory

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis was an investigation into the historical significance and interpretation the Alaskan boundary dispute played in the tripartite relations of Canada, the United States, and Great Britain.

The first purpose of this work was to fully examine Hay- Herbert Treaty, emphasizing the hitherto unacknowledged benefits inherent in the treaty. The second purpose of this work was to reexamine Theodore Roosevelt's actions that have previously been the focal point of research in the Alaskan boundary dispute. The final purpose of this work was to explain the greater historical importance Canadians have maintained in the Alaskan boundary dispute and the affect …

A Descriptive Study Of Body Dysmorphia And Body Image In Mid-Life Women, Marsha B. Mcfarland

Theses and Dissertations

Little is known about how women perceive and feel about their bodies at midlife. The popular media prescribe a standard of ideal female appearance that equates beauty with youth and thinness, features that are altered by the passing years. Much of the research about body image that includes midlife women has been conducted in a framework of pathology. Because there is little research that documents women's feelings and perceptions about their bodies in adulthood, this phenomenological study describes the body image concerns of women at midlife. Instruments administered during the course of the study included the Beck Depression Inventory, the …

The Twelve-Penny Chronicle: The Origins Of The Pequot War, Rod Guttormson

Theses and Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Modulating Effects Of Time Of Day On Age Differences In Memory Performance: Attention Versus Inhibition, Iwona Chelminski

Theses and Dissertations

Research suggests that some cognitive processes follow a circadian rhythm, and the peak performance periods correlate with individual patterns of physiological arousal. Recent findings in the literature suggest that the optimal time synchrony may modulate the magnitude of age differences in cognitive performance across time of day. The first goal of the present study was to further investigate the so-called “synchrony effects” in younger and older adults. The second purpose was to offer and examine an alternative explanation for the “synchrony effect” phenomenon related to deficits in attentional resources rather than inefficient inhibition. And the third purpose of this study …

Analysis Of The Caloric Expenditure Of Students In Middle School Physical Education Classes, Wendy Granum Frappier

Theses and Dissertations

According to the recent Surgeon General's Report guidelines, all Americans including children need to bum a minimum of 150 calories in daily physical activity or approximately 1,000 calories a week to meet minimum healthy activity standards. The purpose of the study was to assess the caloric expenditure of students in middle school physical education classes to determine if they were expending a sufficient amount of calories in physical education classes to meet the minimum healthy activity recommendations. More specifically, the study determined the differences in caloric expenditure and various physical activities, the relationship between heart rate and caloric expenditure, sex …

A Study To Determine Why Glassboro State-Rowan University Alumni Non-Donors Do Not Give To The University And What The University Can Do To Encourage Them To Become Donors, Titus Kamau Kanyi

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine from Glassboro State-Rowan University alumni non-donors why they do not give to the University and what, in their view, the University can do to encourage them to give.

Using a mail questionnaire, based on a literature review, interviews with fund raising, alumni and research professionals at Rowan, the author surveyed 110 Glassboro State-Rowan University alumni non-donors. The data was hand-coded and analyzed using the Statistic Package for Social Science (SPSS).

A majority of non-donors had a fulfilling experience at Glassboro State-Rowan University, felt the University has improved since they graduated and give …

Professional Sports Teams And Fan Relations: A Public Relations Case Study Of The 1998-99 Philadelphia Eagles Football Team, Laura Elizabeth Litrenta

Theses and Dissertations

In professional sports, the field of public relations helps organizations foster positive relationships with their fans. But, when teams suffer losing seasons, recording more losses than wins, these relationships become strained.

The purpose of this study was to reveal how losing seasons affect the bond between professional sports teams and their fans. The results encourage sports relations practitioners to recognize fan needs and develop techniques that can help organizations maintain a more positive relationship with their fans during a losing season.

To examine the relationship between a professional sports team and its fans, this researcher traced the performance of the …

E-Mail Privacy In The Workplace: Is It A Public Relations Concern?, Charles H. Harrison

Theses and Dissertations

This study determined that many, perhaps most, public relations executives do not consider real or potential clashes between employers and employees over the use of organization E-mail systems for personal communication to be their concern.

The drafting of organization E-mail policy and its communication to employees seem to be the primary concerns of management information systems (MIS), human resources executives and legal counsel. When such policies result in misunderstanding and discontent among employees, human resources executives are more likely than public relations executives to seek solutions. Both public relations and human resources executives addressed the thesis question through a focus …

The Effect Of Cooperative Learning On The Spelling Achievement Of Fourth Grade Students, Elisabeth Henjes

Theses and Dissertations

This research was designed to study the effect of cooperative learning instructional strategies as compared to traditional spelling instruction on fourth grade achievement in spelling. Comparisons were made between the spelling achievement of thirteen fourth grade students when they were taught by cooperative learning strategies and the spelling achievement of these same fourth grade students when they were taught by traditional spelling instructional methods. The cooperative learning instructional methods used were a combination of Classwide Peer Tutoring and Student Teams-Achievement Division (STAD). To control for certain variables a second treatment of traditional spelling instructional methods was implemented after the cooperative …

Intranets Vs. Printed Publications As Effective Employee Communication Tools, Paula S. Hoffman

Theses and Dissertations

Intranets, driven by time and cost-efficiencies, recently emerged as a major corporate communication tool. However, do employees want their company news delivered via an Intranet or do they prefer reading traditional printed publications?

This study's purpose is to determine employees' preferences and constraints concerning Intranet internal news delivery and content. These findings will guide communication managers in delivering effective Intranet content, design and programming.

This study surveyed 100 employees in a self-select method from the Philadelphia area who read company news on an Intranet for at least six months. The survey probed attitude and behavior toward reading an Intranet vs. …

A Student's Guide To The History Of Public Relations And An Inquiry Into The Use Of Public Relations History In The Classroom, Christine Dunnington

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compile a PR student-friendly history of public relations, as well as learn how several university PR programs include public relations history in their curriculum. Literary research and interviews provided the information required for this study. Most universities teach public relations history within an introductory course, providing a historical background for the methods used by practitioners today. Discussions with professors found that most would like to have the resources to go into greater detail about the roots of this relatively young profession.

Producing Award-Winning Publications, Jacob Christian Farbman

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides research findings on what design elements public relations professionals use to produce award-winning publications. Professionals in the workforce who use desktop publishing software to produce publications can use these findings as a reference guide. A survey was conducted of 15 public relations professionals who have won national awards for either their newsletters or brochures. These professionals belonged to one of the following public relations associations: the International Association of Business Communicators, the National School Public Relations Association or the Public Relations Society of America. Respondents were found to use serif typefaces for body copy, sans serif typefaces …

Communicating Through Photographs: A Guide For Public Relations Professionals, Carol Ann Desimine

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of preparing this guide was to create a resource for public relations professionals to refer to when faced with the task of placing photographs in publications. The assumption is that most public relations professionals are not trained to think visually, partly because their education is focused on writing and virtually ignores aesthetics. Since readership surveys find that people prefer photographs over the written word, and that pictures capture attention quicker than headlines, it is essential that public relations people know how to use visuals to enhance a message. The primary research methods of this study were examination of …

A Comparative Study Of Recruitment And Enrollment Practices In Colleges And Universities Using Integrated Marketing Communications, Alisa L. Hogan

Theses and Dissertations

A study was conducted to determine if using an integrated marketing communications (IMC) approach to college and university recruitment and enrollment helps institutions better achieve their enrollment goals.

This study involved a review of related research, in-depth interviews with education-specific marketing consulting firms, and admissions and marketing professionals at various institutions of higher learning. Primary research involved a 14-item self-administered questionnaire mailed to selected four-year colleges and universities across the country. The questionnaire asked institution executives familiarity and general institutional marketing questions, marketing activity questions, use of IMC, opinion inquiries and demographics.

Mean scores through coded responses, frequencies and percentages …

The Effective Use Of Billboards As A Communications Tool, Donna M. Lithgow

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify guidelines for communicators to use as a reference when designing an outdoor campaign.

Secondary research provided information on properly designing and using billboards as a communications tool. This information included studies on billboards, research on color and design, and statistics relating to the outdoor industry.

The author compiled a list of agencies who won OBIE awards between 1994 and 1998. These awards are given to agencies annually by the Outdoor Advertising Association of America to recognize outstanding billboard campaigns. These agencies are among the best in outdoor communication throughout the United States …

The Importance Of Morale In The Workplace, Allison Rohner

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis studies the impact of morale on productivity and the bottom line. Research shows companies with high morale generate higher profits, greater productivity and happier employees.

Thousands of organizations and companies have problems with morale, but few have found ways to solve them. This thesis identifies conditions that lead to higher morale. The thesis examines morale programs at top companies and looks at a variety of different studies.

The research indicates that employees need to feel their efforts create positive social changes. Companies can contribute to charities or they can create programs to show the company's impact on the …

The Efficacy Of Community Policing: A Community Relations Case Study Of Gloucester County, New Jersey Patrol Officers And Residents, Ian J. Finnimore

Theses and Dissertations

Community Policing has become a driving management strategy in many police departments throughout the United States. Police officers are being asked to form long-lasting relationships with community members so both publics can more easily work together to solve community and crime issues This study's purpose was to determine the efficacy of community policing as it relates to both patrol officers and residents to determine what public relations skills may assist future community policing initiatives. A patrol officer survey was designed and distributed to 24 municipal police departments. 394 surveys were delivered with 199 usable respondents. Officers were asked to give …

Analysis Of N-Tier Architecture Applied To Distributed-Database Systems, Alexandre G. Valente

Theses and Dissertations

N-tier architecture has been more commonly used as a methodology for developing large database applications. This work evaluates the use of this architecture instead of the classical Client/Server architecture in developing corporate applications based on distributed databases. The comparison between architectures is performed using applications that execute transactions similar to those defined in the Transaction Process Council Type C benchmark (TPC-C). The environment used for development and testing was the AFIT Bimodal Cluster (ABC); a heterogeneous cluster of PCs, running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 OS. The comparative experimental analysis demonstrated that the N-tier architecture allows more efficient bandwidth utilization between …

Reviving The Image: Communicating The Benefits Of Labor Unions, Kathleen Mulholland

Theses and Dissertations

The goal of this study is to show that unions need to communicate the purpose they serve in society to revive their tarnished image. The results show through quantitative and qualitative analysis that although some studies show the public approval rating of unions has increased, a negative image still exists.

To determine the type of message the mass media is sending to the public about unions, a content analysis was performed on articles written by the Washington Post about four national strikes. Twelve individual in-depth interviews were conducted using six union and six nonunion participants to gather detailed information concerning …

Public Relations Practitioners Versus The Media: The Analysis Of Standards, Stephen A. Kandik

Theses and Dissertations

This study determined how both the media and public relations practitioners perceived professional standards in the public relations field and how these perceptions could be changed. This study required the use of abstracting systems, the Internet, databases, journals and periodicals, in-depth interviews and e-mail surveys. Five in-depth interviews with journalists along with five in-depth interviews with public relations practitioners provided the information needed to create the survey instrument. Both journalists and public relations practitioners provided 99 responses to the survey. Data analysis included t-tests and a factor analysis. The study proved that the media view the professional standards within the …

Closely Supervised Reactive Control Of An Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle, Roy G. Glassco

Theses and Dissertations

Closely Supervised Reactive Control is an alternative control method for uninhabited aerial vehicles that incorporates some of the benefits of both manual and autonomous operations. Utilizing an onboard camera, an operator can control a UAV by manually choosing desired targets. The flight path of the uninhabited vehicle is determined autonomously from the camera gimbal angles. The operator of the payload (i.e. camera), has close supervision of the aircraft. The aircraft, using an onboard computer, is given autonomous control to alter flight path to fly towards a target and at a specified range, loiter over the target. In the basic mode …

Wind Tunnel Investigation Of Joined Wing Configurations, Jennifer Corneille

Theses and Dissertations

The Air Force Research Laboratory's Munitions Directorate is looking to extend the range of its small smart bomb. One proposed idea is to retrofit the bombs with a wing kit, particularly a joined wing configuration. A typical joined wing configuration is one where the wings are positioned in such a way that they form a diamond in both plan and front views. The purpose of this study is to conduct low speed wind tunnel testing of the joined wing configuration to help determine if the joined wing is more beneficial than a single wing configuration. Configurations with differing sweep angles …

Implementation Of A Two-Dimensional Hydrodynamic Shock Code Based Upon The Weighted Average Flux Method, Mark P. Wittig

Theses and Dissertations

Numerical modeling of shock propagation and reflection is of interest to the Department of Defense (DoD). Propriety state-of-the-art codes based upon E. F. Toro's weighted average flux (WAF) method are being used to investigate complex shock reflection phenomena. Here we develop, test, and validate a one-dimensional hydrodynamic shock code. We apply WAF to Gudonov's first-order upwind method to achieve second-order accuracy. Oscillations, typical of second-order methods, are then removed using adaptive weight limiter functions based upon total variation diminishing (TVD) flux limiters. An adaptive Riemann solver routine is also implemented to improve computational efficiency. This one-dimensional code is then extended …

A Performance Analysis Of A Low Earth Orbit Satellite System, Korkut A. Ercakar

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a performance analysis of the TELEDESIC® Low Earth Orbit Satellite System. It analyzes the system's performance to meet the real-time communications constraints with a full satellite constellation. Computer simulation results are the sources to evaluate delays associated with packets transmitted from source to destination earth stations. The simulation is run at low, medium and high loading levels with two different, uniform and non-uniform, traffic distributions. The evaluated results are end-to-end packet delays and packet rejection rate. The results show that the TELEDESIC® satellite system network is capable of meeting the real-time communication requirements with delay values much …