Digital Commons Network^™

Do Distance Learning Students Taking Business And Technology Courses At Olympic College Achieve The Same Grade Point Averages As On-Campus Students In The Same Courses, Steven J. Ericson

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

To guide this problem, the following hypothesis was established: 1. There will be no significant difference in the GPAs of online and on-campus students in the same Business and Technology courses at Olympic College.

The Effects Pre-School Attendance Has On Kindergarten Phonological Awareness Literacy Screening, Dennise M. Marcinko

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The problem of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between students who do or do not attend pre-school and passing the fall kindergarten PALS test at Sedgefield Elementary School. The hypothesis is that students who attend preschool will have higher rates of passing the fall kindergarten PALS test than students who do not attend preschool.

The Satisfaction Of Federal Government Workers, Union And Non-Union, With The Effectiveness Of Their Representation On Job Security Issues, Anthony W. Sommerville

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The goals of this study were to answer the following questions: 1) How do union and non-union members feel the union supports improving working conditions, seeking economic security for its members and promotes dignity and respect in the workforce? 2) How do union workers at Langley feel about the effectiveness of their representation on job security issues? 3) What is the prevalent reason why government employees at Langley choose not to join the union? Be default, the union continues to represent them on job security issues?

Social Interaction And Reading Achievement Among Children In Poverty, Kendra M. Boykin

OTS Master's Level Projects & Papers

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in the reading achievement of children in a Title I school between children with high social interaction and those with low social interaction after school.

Registration Of Npm-4, A Dwarf White Grain Pearl Millet Germplasm, J.F. Rajewski, D.J. Andrews, Ismail M. Dweikat

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Dwarf grain pearl millet [Pennisetum glucum (L.) R. Br.] germplasm NPM-4 (Reg. no. GP-37, PI 634545) was released in September 2003 by the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE.

NPM-4 was derived from open-pollinated outcrosses of white grain inbred line 57028R1w grown in a 1998 Puerto Vallarta winter nursery. The source of the outcross pollen was from primarily genetically diverse, dwarf, early maturing, gray seeded lines being developed as parents for grain yield. Line 57028R₁w was derived from 89C57028R₁/3*90PV0121. Line 89C57028R₁ is gray-seeded, and line 90PV0121 has white seed. …

Neural Network Based Classification Of Road Pavement Structures, V. Venayagamoorthy, D. Allopi, Ganesh K. Venayagamoorthy

Electrical and Computer Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Roads have formed the basic infrastructure of commerce since flints and other tools and artifacts were first exchanged along the trade routes of prehistory. Roadways are very large, in volume, in extent, and in value. They also wear out, and their useful life is directly proportional to their initial strength and inversely proportional to the number of heavy goods vehicles using them. Therefore, the increasing complexity of road transportation needs advanced techniques for effective design of pavements. This paper proposes an intelligent technique using neural networks to classify different types of road pavement structures, which is essential in estimating bearing …

Validation Of Finite Element Program For Journal Bearings -- Static And Dynamic Properties, Raja Shekar Balupari

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The analysis of bearing systems involves the prediction of their static and dynamic characteristics. The capability to compute the dynamic characteristics for hydrodynamic bearings has been added to Bearing Design System (BRGDS), a finite element program developed by Dr. R.W. Stephenson, and the results obtained were validated. In this software, a standard finite element implementation of the Reynolds equation is used to model the land region of the bearing with pressure degrees of freedom. The assumptions of incompressible flow, constant viscosity, and no fluid inertia terms are made. The pressure solution is integrated to give the bearing load, and the …

Fabrication And Characterization Of Deterministic Microasperities On Thrust Surfaces, Sarang Narayan Kortikar

University of Kentucky Master's Theses

The deterministic microasperities play a vital role in reducing the coefficient of friction and wear of thrust surfaces and improve the tribological properties of the surfaces. Deterministic microasperities have a specific pattern in terms of size, shape and spacing. These specified geometries are controllable and repeatable. The microasperities are micron scaled asperities and cavities on a surface that form the surface roughness. The present thesis shows the detailed process to fabricate the deterministic microasperities on thrust surfaces, i.e. stainless substrate, using micro-fabrication processes such as lapping and ultra-violet photolithography in combination with an electroplating (nickel) process. A Novel alignment technique …

Swimming With The Fishes: Fish As A Transformational Symbol, Deale A. Hutton

Theses

Not Included

Designing Risk Messages In Response To Human-Caused Disasters, Michael E. Hellinger

Theses

Not Included

Brand Color Tolerances: A Comparison Of Memory Color Vs. Paired Comparison Color Matching, Allison K. Santoro

Theses

The proposed thesis topic is to compare two methods of judging brand colors, paired comparison and memory color. Today's current practice for press approval in the graphic arts industry involves an individual using a sensitive comparison of a proof to a press sheet. The resulting piece is later viewed by a user who will have no knowledge of the original (a proof). The exception, however, is the memory of the "logo" or brand color that the user may have. The argument can be made that the additional cost of a press approval is justified by the possibility of accruing extra …

Data Limitations Can Be Overcome To Move Toward Effective Business System Integration, Paul G. Ruganis

Theses

Investigation indicates that data quality and consistency issues will continue to be overwhelming impediments to the complete integration of all information systems in the current Information Technology (IT) environment. However, there is evidence that businesses can still move toward an effective "Digital Business Design" (DBD) by focusing on a relatively small number of critical success factors. The possible approaches to integration available in the current IT environment were reviewed to gain insight into candidate design bases available. The DBD implementations of sample firms were examined to explore what aspects of integration they considered in their implementations and whether or not …

Food And Art: A Brief History, Isaac Rivera

Theses

Not Included

The Role Of Advertising Agencies On The Demand For Personalized Communications, Kathryn C. Moore

Theses

A personalized campaign allows an agency to utilize its clients' records to reach its audience by sending targeted messages and promotions, which often results in improved business results. This pull is achieved by using detailed databases with a large quantity of information about existing and potential customers. This information, in the form of text, data and sometimes images, is then placed into a document in a way that is easy for customers to locate and act upon. Variable data technology should be embraced by advertising agencies as a definite way to improve response rates and generate more business. But what …

Emotional Recogition Ability Among Incarcerated Youth, Aubrey S. Elmore

Theses

The purpose of this study was to consider emotional recognition ability among incarcerated youth. Specifically, thirty-eight inmates who were eligible for a Free and Appropriate Education (FAPE) under New York State law participated in the study. Participants were administered Ekman's facial discrimination task (1976), the Sociomoral Reflection Measure-Short Form (SRM-SF; Gibbs, Basinger, &Fuller, 1992), and an Emotional Intelligence Survey (Schutte et al., 1998). Results showed the incarcerated youth were less accurate in identifying emotions from facial expressions than were non-incarcerated young adults. Further, incarcerated youth with identified learning disabilities were even less accurate in their ability to recognize emotions than …

Unbidden Pilgrimage, Naomi Hart

Theses

This thesis explores how the author expresses in a body of artwork her journey through grief after the loss of her son. In a series of prints and multimedia pieces, she develops the theme of a spiritual pilgrimage through loss to renewed hope and faith. The thesis includes reproductions of works by other artists.

The Fuel Tax Compliance Unit: An Evaluation And Analysis Of Results, Suzanne Perkins Sapp

Kentucky Transportation Center Research Report

The construction and maintenance of our nation's system of roads and highways is a major financial challenge. A majority of the responsibility for financing public roads and highways lies with state governments. Almost all states have special funds called Road Funds into which user fees and taxes associated with highway use are deposited. Unfortunately, Road Fund revenue growth has been slow due to the relative inelasticity of its revenue sources. At the same time, states face resistance to tax increases designed to enhance Road Fund revenues. One method of increasing such revenues, without increasing taxes, is to reduce evasion. Increased …

Code, Konstantinos Batalamas

Theses

Not Included

Effective Crisis Intervention In The School: The Role Of Training, Experience, And Self-Efficacy On School Psychologists' Ability To Intervene, Erica J. Deming

Theses

School psychologists' graduate and post-graduate preparation, intervention experience, and self-efficacy regarding crisis intervention services were investigated. A national survey was mailed to members of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) that resulted in a return rate of 38%. Demographic statistics indicated that a majority of school psychologists received at least some preservice crisis intervention training; however, 82.6% do not feel that this adequately prepared them to provide crisis intervention. Experience ratings suggested that school psychologists have little to no experience with gangs, weapons, gun control, natural disasters, and dealing with the media during a crisis. Chrildren's dealing with the …

Embedded Charge For Microswitch Applications, Joanna Kiljan

Theses

In this work a micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) is proposed for radio frequency (RF) switching applications. MEMS devices outperform the traditionally used solid-state devices in areas such as isolation, insertion loss, and linearity. However, micro switches suffer from high actuation voltage, lifetime limitations, and high packaging cost. A novel micro switch design that incorporates embedded charge in a cantilever structure can, in principle, enable low-voltage operation. This was the primary motivation for this study

The Deceit Of Internet Hate Speech: A Study Of The Narrative And Visual Methods Used By Hate Groups On The Internet, Gina M. Albano

Theses

Intentional misinformation is a problem that has been documented in a variety of shapes and forms for thousands of years and continues to plague the American landscape. The advent and increasing usage of the Internet has created an additional venue through which intentional misinformation is disseminated, and many groups are taking full advantage of this new communication medium. Because the Internet allows anyone with web publishing skills to disseminate misinformation, it is often difficult for users to judge the credibility of the information. Hate groups understand this phenomenon and are taking full advantage of the Internet by publishing hate sites …

Internal Organizational Communication During Crisis Situations: The Effect Of Supportive Messages On Employee Stress Levels, Carin L. Kosmoski

Theses

This study investigates the effects of supportive messages from immediate supervisors or CEO's on employees during crisis situations. Supportive messages are hypothesized to decrease the stress levels of employees. The extent to which supportive messages from managers or executives during crisis situations affect employee perceptions of support from their organization, their CEO, and their immediate supervisor is also explored. During the research process, 78 volunteer participants received one of three messages from a hypothetical organization following a hypothetical crisis situation. Spearman's ranked correlations comparing reported support with reported stress levels indicate that, for the group studied, there is a negative …

Experimental Study Of Flow Patterns, Heat Transfer, Pressure Drop And Gravitational Orientation During Flow Boiling In Minichannels, Prabhu Balasubramanian

Theses

Microchannels and Minichannels are being used in electronic cooling, fuel cells, automotive heat exchangers, micro refrigeration systems. They are also being considered for high heat flux applications under microgravity environment in space missions. Research laboratories and industries throughout the world are trying to explore and tap the potential uses of these small diameter channels in various products and applications. Before stepping in to any of the product design phase, fundamental issues related to their performance have to be studied and resolved. This thesis work focuses on resolving some of these fundamental issues related to flow boiling in small diameter channels …

Art Tales: Art As A Communicator Of New York State Folklore, Erin Claire Tobin

Theses

This thesis project focuses on the use of folktales as a starting point to explore texture and pattern. The artist was striving to create a visual communication of folktales. Using physical layers in the paintings to create spatial depth as well as to express the idea of the building of layers as a metaphor for the story of life, the artist engages the viewer to relate this to the idea that culture is built from many different layers of stories over time.

Dynamically Loaded Self-Aligning Journal Bearings: A Mobility Method Approach, Nathan Mayer

Theses

Journal bearings are a fundamental component in many pieces of machinery. A properly designed bearing is capable of supporting large loads in rotating systems with minimal frictional energy losses and virtually no wear even after years of services. These benefits make an understanding of dynamic behavior of these devices very valuable. In applications where journal bearings are subject to misalignment (conditions where the journal and sleeve axes are not parallel), it has long been understood that bearing performance can be compromised. To eliminate this problem, self-aligning bearings have been designed. The sleeves of these bearings are capable of moving freely …

Visual Design Systems For Music Education, Andrew D. Baker

Theses

Not Included

Personal Motivations For Philanthropy, Neil Monteiro

Theses

This study discusses the impact of individual motivational factors for charitable contributions. This study is important because it will help R.I.T and similar educational/non profit organizations understand the "intrinsic factors" that motivate individuals to donate time, money, or goods. The results of this study will help the organization understand their donors. This study will "only" address individual philanthropy. This study focuses on the Rochester Institute of Technology (R.I.T) located in Rochester, New York.

The East Wing Beat: The Changing Role Of First Lady, Jacqueline M. Scheible

Theses

First Ladies take on highly visible public roles within the American political system. They serve as role models for American women, symbolically representing the upper-middle-class-white American woman. The mass media cover extensively the women who become first ladies and symbolism associated with the firstladyship. The purpose of the present study is to provide a systematic examination of New York Times coverage of first ladies to understand and interpret change that has occurred in coverage. The findings suggest that first ladies have the opportunity to take advantage of the first lady podium and use it to meet public expectations and fulfill …

Intrinsic Motivation In The Classroom: Increasing Learning And Retention, Emily K. Hesek

Theses

A growing body of research suggests that intrinsic motivation and self-determination are key factors in academic achievement and success. The present study investigated whether children learned and retained information better when taught a social skills lesson using a self-determining approach, rather than a traditional directive lesson plan. In particular, this study examined whether lesson plans that included choice and autonomy support would affect students' intrinsic motivation for the task, and improve their learning and retention over time. Fifty-six fourth grade students from a large suburban school district in upstate New York participated. Significant group differences were found on a pre-test …

The Evolution, Current Status, And Future Direction Of Xml, Christina Ann Oak

Theses

The Extensible Markup Language (XML) is now established as a multifaceted open-ended markup language and continues to increase in popularity. The major players that have shaped its development include the United States government, several key corporate entities, and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This paper will examine these influences on XML and will address the emergence, the current status, and the future direction of this language. In addition, it will review best practices and research that have contributed to the continued development and advancement of XML.