Digital Commons Network^™

Legitimising The Subjectivity Of Human Reality Through Qualitative Research Method, Adrian K. Morgan, Vicki B. Drury

Research outputs pre 2011

The controversy that has surrounded the value of quantitative research methods as opposed to qualitative approaches as a means to increasing the knowledge and understanding of human behaviour in health and illness, has been contested by nurse scholars for several decades. This paper continues debate around this issue and provides a critique of the problems associated with these competing paradigms. It challenges the convention that all nursing research must be objective and value free in order to be scientific, and provides an overview of the processes that should be considered by researchers utilizing qualitative methods of inquiry.

Patterns Of Engagement In Authentic Online Learning Environments, Janice Herrington, Ron Oliver, Thomas Reeves

Research outputs pre 2011

The use of authentic activities within online learning environments has been shown to have many benefits for learners in online units and courses. There has been renewed interest in the role of student activities within course units, as constructivist philosophy and advances in technology impact on educational design and practice. Courses based on these principles have been used successfully across a wide variety of discipline areas. In spite of the growing evidence of the success of authentic learning environments, they are not without their problems. In this paper we discuss patterns of engagement that have emerged from our own research …

Evaluating The Use Of The Web By Print Firms, Greg Parry

Research outputs pre 2011

The disruptive impact of electronic commerce on the print industry has the potential to radically transform its value proposition. The challenge for the industry is to utilise the disruptive aspects of emerging technology to offer customers greater variety in the delivery of information and communication, and take advantage of potential cost innovations to improve declining rates of return. This paper reviews these developments and reports on an exploratory study of the Australian print industry that suggests that the extent of transformation has, to date, been limited.

Is-Lm Model With A General Consumption Tax, Y. H. Cheung

Research outputs pre 2011

OECD tax revenue statistics show that on average the share of consumption tax is almost equal to that of income tax. However, consumption tax hardly attracts any attention from intermediate macroeconomic textbooks, not to mention its inclusion in IS-LM model. This paper compares the IS curves under an income tax regime and a general consumption tax regime. It also examines the trade off between the income tax rate and the consumption tax rate in a dual tax regime.

Sequence And Distribution Of The Neotyphodium Lolii Peptide Synthetase Gene Ipsa., Prapassorn Damrongkool

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Neotyphodium lolii is a fungal endophyte of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne). Like related endophytes of other grasses, it increases the grass host's fitness. Endophyte-infected grasses have greater resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, and thus are highly competitive. However, the endophytes also produce toxins that cause toxicoses in grazing animals. N. lolii produces a large amount of lolitrems, which are thought to cause ryegrass staggers in mammals. The fungus also produces a smaller amount of a highly toxic ergopeptine ergovaline. In this dissertation, I have characterized, sequenced and surveyed the distribution of peptide synthetase gene IpsA that is required for …

Prediction Of Treatment Dropouts From Outpatient Substance Abuse Rehabilitation: A Discriminant Analysis., Phyllis J. Harner-Neer

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Significant research literature supports the need for programs better designed to meet the needs of adolescent substance treatment. There is little research, however, that addresses the identification of characteristics of those adolescents who do not complete treatment. Consequently, this study seeks to identify those characteristics of adolescents by segueing off of another study that proved successful in identifying characteristics among inpatient adult male substance abusers. This study looks at the archival data of 38 adolescents who attended outpatient substance abuse treatment at an experientially-based, substance abuse program designed for adolescents. Methodological processes included the use of demographic variables collected through …

The Evaluation Of Critical Thinking, Reflective Writing, And Cognitive Word Use In Baccalaureate Nursing Students., Monica Metrick Kennison

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This nonexperimental, descriptive, correlational study addressed the problem of consistency and fairness in evaluating student nurses' reflective writing for evidence of critical thinking. The purposes were twofold: To describe the relationships among teacher ratings, cognitive word use, and a standardized measure of critical thinking in baccalaureate nursing students; and to describe the extent that teacher ratings and cognitive word use are predictive of a standardized measure of critical thinking. A teacher designed tool, the Critical Thinking Scale (CTS), was used by five faculty members to independently evaluate graduates' reflective writings for evidence of critical thinking. The California Critical Thinking Skills …

Sensation Seeking Characteristics And Neuroendocrine Responses To An Acute Psychological Challenge In Latent Forensic Identifiers., Jonathan W. Roberti

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined various characteristics of 29 (20 females and 9 males) undergraduate participants interested in latent forensic identification. Participants completed a basic demographics questionnaire, information about daily stressors and psychosocial stressors (HPS: Scotti, 1992, 1999), the Sensation Seeking Scale (SSS-V; Zuckerman, Eysenck, & Eysenck, 1978) and Zuckerman-Kuhlman Personality Questionnaire (ZKPQ; Zuckerman, Kuhlman, Joirement, & Kraft, 1993). Salivary cortisol samples and perceived distress were assessed before and during exposure to an acute psychological challenge. Participants self-reported handling daily stressors well and to have had minimal experience with psychosocial stressors. Compared to published normative data on the SSS-V and ZKPQ, males …

A Normal Accident Theory-Based Complexity Assessment Methodology For Safety-Related Embedded Computer Systems., John J. Sammarco

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Computer-related accidents have caused injuries and fatalities in numerous applications. Normal Accident Theory (NAT) explains that these accidents are inevitable because of system complexity. Complex systems, such as computer-based systems, are highly interconnected, highly interactive, and tightly coupled. We do not have a scientific methodology to identify and quantify these complexities; specifically, NAT has not been operationalized for computer-based systems. Our research addressed this by operationalizing NAT for the system requirements of safety-related computer systems. It was theorized that there are two types of system complexity: external and internal. External complexity was characterized by three variables: system predictability, observability, and …

Three Essays On The Estimations Of Price Elasticity Of Demand In The United States Cigarette Industry And World Crude Oil Market., Jian-Fa Li

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Essay I presents a set of more refined estimates of demand for cigarettes in the U.S. It was found that the dynamic fixed estimator (DFE) outperforms the pool mean group estimator (PMG) and the mean group estimator (MG) in the U.S. cigarette market from 1961 to 1997. The short-run price elasticity is −0.122, and the long run price elasticity is −0.716. Additionally, there is ample room for cigarette firms to raise revenue to pay for the settlement costs as long as the demand for cigarettes remains in the inelastic range. In essay II, Based on our empirical estimates, the gap …

Credit Programs, Poverty Alleviation And Women's Empowerment: A Case Study From Sri Lanka., Seela Aladuwaka

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The provision of micro-credit for micro-enterprise development plays an important role in the alleviation and eradication of poverty. In particular, micro-credit programs have been shown to empower women by providing them access to material resources and increasing their participation in household decision-making. Some critics, however, claim that male family members control the loans women receive from credit programs and that women are merely a means for them to access money. Although it is widely believed that these programs are highly effective, there is a debate about the extent to which women are empowered and poverty within these families is reduced. …

Ground Control Support Consideration For Pre-Driven Longwall Recovery Rooms., Stephen Cesare Tadolini

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pre-driven longwall recovery rooms can be used to safely recover longwall equipment from the current coal panel. The entry is developed and supported ahead of time so that the required combinations of standing and internal supports can be installed before the longwall face approaches. The combination of the internal bolting system and the standing concrete supports are critical for the successful and safe extraction of the longwall equipment. A combined support system that is too soft or too stiff can result in excessive recovery room closures or brittle failures of the concrete crib systems. Three-Dimensional finite element models, combined with …

A Comparison Of Demineralization Between Self-Etching Primer And Conventional Sealant: An In Vitro Study., Nihar D. Tanna

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this in vitro study is to compare the resistance to demineralization between a self etching primer (SEP) and a conventional sealant. 120 tooth samples were assigned to 3 groups: SEP, Sealant, or a Control group with no treatment. After 48 or 72 hours of acidic challenge with ten Cateís solution, 200 µm sections were evaluated for the incidence of lesion, lesion depth, area and total fluorescence using confocal microscopy. Statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA. Incidence of lesion was 100% in the SEP and Control group and 50% in the Sealant group. Lesion depth (149.9 µm), area …

A Study Of Classic Films And Their Portrayal Of The Mentally Ill., Allison Marie Plants

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The media have an enormous influence on the way the public views mental illness. Their frequent and often flawed portrayals of the mentally ill cause negative feelings to develop. Media framing plays a powerful role in the portrayal of the mentally ill. The way the media portray the mentally ill directly affects how they are viewed in real life.

A Comparison Of Soft Tissue Prediction Tracings Using The Andrews And Ricketts Diagnostic Techniques., Bryan Keith Roos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in soft tissue profiles using the Andrews and Ricketts diagnoses, as judged by professionals and laypersons. 25 patients were selected from the WVU Department of Orthodontics. Quick Ceph ProTM software was used to create simulated profiles according to the Andrews and Ricketts diagnoses. Profiles were rated at Time 1 and Time 2 by each group. Using t tests and correlation means to compare groups, it was found that there was a statistically significant preference by the professionals towards the Andrews profiles, M = 2.4, t (25) = …

A Comparison Of Bond Strength Between An Orthodontic Adhesive Resin Cured With Halogen Light Or Plasma Arc Light: An In Vitro And In Vivo Study., Michael D. Signorelli

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study was to determine the in vivo survival rate and the in vitro shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets bonded with either a halogen light OrtholuxTMXT or a plasma arc light ORTHO LiteTM. Ninety extracted premolars were divided into 6 treatment groups. Bond strengths were tested with an Instron testing machine and bracket failure interface with ARI score. Data was analyzed using ANOVA. No significant differences in bond strength were found between the halogen light with a 20 second curing time and the plasma arc light with a 6 or 10 second curing time. For the …

Apoptosis-Necrosis Paradox: Implications To The Pathogenesis Of Inflammatory Disorders., Djordje Medan

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The first section of this work addressed the relationship between apoptotic and necrotic cell death and their role in inflammatory lung injury induced by endotoxin. Pulmonary administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the lung of mice caused a time-dependent increase in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and inflammatory cell influx in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids. Control mice showed only resident alveolar macrophages with no apoptosis as determined by terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) and histone-bound DNA fragmentation assays. In contrast, LPS-treated mice showed clear apoptosis of BAL cells. Microscopic studies confirmed the presence of apoptotic neutrophils and …

Journalism And The Internet: Putting Things Into Context., Lance Aaron Parry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The Internet has provided new tools and new opportunities for journalists to gather and report the news, new outlets and new forms for those news reports, and new ways for readers and other news consumers to access that information. From its roots in typesetting to silver halide photography to presses and trucks, journalism has evolved digitally into web pages, pixels and cyberspace. The impact of this information is considered. The Internet itself was used for much of the research supporting this paper. The specific case of the so-called Suburban Sniper in the Washington/Maryland/Virginia metro area in October of 2002 is …

The Associations Of Recreation And Leisure With Community Satisfaction., Abraham Goldberg

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The purpose of this study is to determine the associations of recreation and leisure with community satisfaction. The quantity, quality, and social context of participation in recreation and leisure activities are examined as potential predictors of community satisfaction. Questionnaires were distributed to a systematic random sample of residents in Montgomery, West Virginia. Following a multiple stepwise regression analysis, findings indicate that quantity (frequency) of leisure participation and quality (satisfaction) with recreation and leisure are predictors of community satisfaction. Pearsonís Correlation Coefficients indicate that frequency of volunteering and working in the yard are most strongly related with community satisfaction. The results …

Predictors Of Physical Abuse History And Abuse Potential: An Observation Of Parenting Style In Mother-Child Dyads Referred For Child Disruptive Behavior Problems., Lisa M. Ware

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study examined the relation between parental behaviors (i.e., amount of interaction, positive behavior, aversive behavior, controlling behavior), child abuse potential (as measured by the Child Abuse Potential Inventory), documented history of child physical abuse, and demographic variables (e.g., socioeconomic status) among mothers of children with disruptive behavior problems. Results indicated that socio-economic status and child abuse potential were significant predictors of substantiated history of abuse. Further, only the presence of a documented history of abuse was significantly related to child abuse potential scores. Although the hypotheses that positive, aversive, and controlling behavior would be predictive of child abuse potential …

Impact Of A Grazing Management Regime As An Internal Parasite Control In Sheep Managed Under Usda's National Organic Program: A Case Study., Bernard James O'Doherty

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The objective of this study was to identify an effective internal parasite control for sheep managed under USDA's NOP. The case study involved the sheep flock of the WVU Organic Farming Systems Experiment over a period of 27 months, March 2001 to July 2003. A 3-day-duration/5-week-rest grazing regime was implemented to control internal parasites. The parasite burden was measured by fecal analysis (fecal egg counts). Prior to implementation of the prescribed grazing regime, parasite levels were moderate and comparable to conventionally managed flocks in the local area. After implementation of prescribed grazing regime, parasite levels were lowered to almost undetectable …

An Analysis Of West Virginia Lamb Marketing Alternatives., Doolarie Singh-Knights

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This study provides a comprehensive overview of the current lamb production and marketing environments in WV in view of current and prospective industry changes. Production and marketing inefficiencies, declining demand together with stiff competition from foreign supplies are significant challenges facing the sheep industry. A survey was developed and administered to WV sheep producers to characterize their production and marketing environment, as well as their marketing needs and concerns. Lamb sale transactions from livestock auctions markets in WV were analyzed to determine price trends and price discovery models in the WV sheep industry. The SAS (Statistical Analysis System, 1985) Kruskal-Wallis …

Does The Computer Helpdesk Vocational Training Course Change Attitude About Customer Service?, Anthony Wethereld

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this research was to determine whether The Computer Helpdesk vocational computing course, in conjunction with The Virtual Workplace simulation computer program, changed attitude about customer service. Thirty-seven adult female students at Fujairah Women's College of the Higher Colleges of Technology in the United Arab Emirates took part in the study. To assess possible attitude change, a combination of observation, interview and survey techniques were used. The Likert scale customer service attitude survey, which measured beliefs and perceptions about customer service, fanned the primary data gathering instrument. Qualitative and quantitative data were triangulated, and quantitative results were analysed …

Aims, Separation And Attitudinal Factors In Mediation: An Exploratory Investigation, Darryl Frank Menaglio

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The general aim of this research was to explore issues regarding mediation in family law about which there appears to be uncertainty. Study I investigated: (a) what stakeholders (practitioners and separated spouses) believe the aims of mediation should be; (b) what they believe are the effects of the separation factors, that is, perceived mutuality (whether the decision to separate was made by one or both spouses), perceived status (whether spouses view themselves as Ieavers, lefts or neither), and the attribution and strength of blaming someone for the decision to separate on attitudes towards engaging in mediation; and (c) stakeholders' views …

The Effect Of Eccentric Exercise Velocity On Selected Measures Of Muscle Function And Soreness Of The Human Elbow Flexors In Untrained Males And Females, Dale W. Chapman

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Eccentric contractions, where a muscle is repeatedly lengthened while generating torque, result in decreased muscle function and muscle soreness. This study was designed to determine whether there was a difference in muscle response of the elbow flexors from untrained subjects (n = 12) between a bout of high intensity eccentric exercise at 30°•s-1 (LVE) compared to the equivalent at 210°•s-1 (HVE). Subjects performed 120 seconds of eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors using a Cybex 6000 Isokinetic Dynamometer. At 30°-s-1, a total of 30 repetitions were required whilst at 210°•s-1, 210 contractions were performed (at a 1:7 work/rest ratio). Both …

Clarifying The Lower Incidence Of Birth Defects In The Midwest Of Western Australia : A Study Using Capture Re-Capture Methodology, Donna Baker

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In April 2000 the Western Australian Birth Defects Registry held its 20th Anniversary Scientific Symposium to signify the first 20 years of the Birth Defects Registry in Western Australia. At the Symposium, significant trends and occurrences in birth defects within Western Australia over the past 20 years were addressed. One factor highlighted in the Registry's 1980-1999 report was that birth defects were reported less frequently in rural regions compared with metropolitan areas. Data collected from the metropolitan area is considered by the Birth Defects Registry to be the most accurate. Therefore, incidence rates of birth defects in this area arc …

2003-2004 Undergraduate Catalog, Armstrong Atlantic State University

Armstrong Office of the Registrar: Undergraduate Catalogs (Archived)

No abstract provided.

2003-2004 Senate, Senate Committee, And University Committee Membershiip, Georgia Southern University

Faculty Senate: Membership Lists

No abstract provided.

Ireland: Central Bank Act 1942, Government Of Ireland

Documents

No abstract provided.

Southern Educator, Georgia Southern University

College of Education: News & Publications (2003-2023)

• New Student Convocation
• COE Soaring into Action
• Welcome New Faculty and Staff
• Xalapa Teachers Program
• Georgia Southern at Oxford
• Southern Educator Class Roll
• The College of Education Memorial Scholarship
• 15th Annual National Youth-At-Risk Conference
• “Highly Qualified” Teachers A Focus of No Child Left Behind
• Garbarino to present And Words Can Hurt Forever
• News from the Field
• Georgia Center for Education Renewal