Digital Commons Network^™

A Review Of Qualitative Research Groups In Web 2.0 Social Networking Communities: Prepare To Be Amused, Inspired, And Even Blown Away, Maureen Duffy

The Qualitative Report

The presence of qualitative research groups on Web 2.0 social networking applications, like Facebook, has continued to grow. These groups are self organizing systems of people interested in particular aspects of qualitative research. Many of these qualitative research groups have companion internet websites and some also have companion YouTube channels, creating a very strong cyber presence. While visitors to these groups are encouraged to evaluate their quality for themselves, in general, the groups provide accessibility and good information for practitioners, students, and teachers of qualitative research alike. Most importantly, a number of these online qualitative research groups can serve as …

The Virtual Landscape Of Geological Information Topics, Methods, And Rhetoric In Modern Geology, Sarah Elizabeth Fratesi

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Geology is undergoing changes that could influence its knowledge claims, reportedly becoming more laboratory-based, technology-driven, quantitative, and physics- and chemistry-rich over time. This dissertation uses techniques from information science and linguistics to examine the geologic literature of 1945-2005. It consists of two studies: an examination of the geological literature as an expanding network of related subdisciplines, and an investigation of the linguistic and graphical argumentation strategies within geological journal articles.

The first investigation is a large-scale study of topics within articles from 67 geologic journals. Clustering of subdiscipline journals based on titles and keywords reveals six major areas of geology: …

Distributing Discipline: Race, Politics, And Punishment At The Frontlines Of Welfare Reform, Richard Fording, Joe Soss, Sanford F. Schram

University of Kentucky Center for Poverty Research Discussion Paper Series

Numerous studies have confirmed that race plays an important role in shaping public preferences toward both redistribution and punishment. Likewise, studies suggest that punitive policy tools tend to be adopted by state governments in a pattern that tracks with the racial composition of state populations. Such evidence testifies to the enduring power of race in American politics, yet it has limited value for understanding how disciplinary policies get applied to individuals in implementation settings. To illuminate the relationship between race and the application of punitive policy tools, we analyze sanction patterns in the TANF program. Drawing on a model of …

Can Normal Habits Affect Gpa?, Jessica Hildebrand, Regina Thurman

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

We wanted to see if there was a correlation between sleep and/or caffeine and students’ grade point average (GPA). To do this we surveyed 101 Lindenwood undergraduate students. We asked them how much caffeine they consumed in a day, how much sleep they get within a seven day period, and their GPA, as well as basic demographic questions. Our study found that there was a weak negative relationship between sleep and GPA whereas no relationship between caffeine consumption and GPA. We conclude that since no relationship has been found, we have made suggestions on how to investigate further given some …

Agricultural Modernisation In China: The Second Leap, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

Three decades after Deng Xiaoping initiated agricultural reform and market liberalisation, China’s countryside is experiencing a second evolution as it transits from traditional to modern agriculture. According to Singapore Management University social science researchers Forrest Zhang and John Donaldson, agribusinesses of various forms, sizes and origins are playing a key role in this process, known as the “second leap”.

Voices Of Hope, Mildred M. Pearson Dr.

Faculty Research and Creative Activity

Using the self-efficacy literature as a theoretical framework, this article discusses the reality of academic achievement and academic performance among selected African American middle school girls. Both quantitative and qualitative research approaches are used to investigate the influence of selfefficacy. Thirty-seven African American middle school girls filled out an adversity questionnaire and also responded to the Children’s Self-efficacy Survey. Based on the results, 10 girls were selected for in-depth interviews. Responses to interview questions reveal how these girls’ self-efficacy helped them not only cope with obstacles in their lives but also excel academically. These responses provide important insights for educators …

Vol. 7, No. 2 (Full Issue), Jmasm Editors

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

No abstract provided.

Comparing Factor Loadings In Exploratory Factor Analysis: A New Randomization Test, W. Holmes Finch, Brian F. French

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Factorial invariance testing requires a referent loading to be constrained equal across groups. This study introduces a randomization test for comparing group exploratory factor analysis loadings so as to identify an invariant referent. Results show that it maintains the Type I error rate while providing adequate power under most conditions.

The Multinomial Regression Modeling Of The Cause-Of-Death Mortality Of The Oldest Old In The U.S., Dudley L. Poston Jr., Hosik Min

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The statistical modeling of the causes of death of the oldest old (persons aged 80 and over) in the U.S. in 2001 was conducted in this article. Data were analyzed using a multinomial logistic regression model (MNLM) because multiple causes of death are coded on death certificates and the codes are nominal. The percentage distribution of the 10 major causes of death among the oldest old was first examined; we next estimated a multinomial logistic regression equation to predict the likelihood of elders dying of one of the causes of death compared to dying of an “other cause.” The independent …

An Examination Of The Contemporary Viability Of Moltmann's Personal And Cosmic Eschatology For Evangelical And Roman Catholic Theology, Chris Wiley

Seminary Masters Theses

The following thesis will examine and critique Moltmann's personal and cosmic eschatology as compared and contrasted with the views of Joseph Ratzinger and Millard Erickson. These two theologians are chosen to represent critics from two schools of thought in response to Moltmann's theology of hope, namely those critical of his theological method and those critical of his political theology. This examination focuses on the viability of Moltmann's personal and cosmic eschatology in contemporary Evangelical and Catholic theology. This study begins with a review of Moltmann's methodology and general treatment of themes in his theology as they pertain to eschatology. This …

The Retiree Center Newsletter - Winter 2008, Retiree Center-Winona State University

WSU Retiree Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Overattribution Effect, Sally Eimer

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The purpose of this study was to investigate the types of judgments undergraduate students made regarding a child’s behavior they observed in a brief video clip. Their attributions were expected to be affected by a key situational factor that only some were informed of. The researcher hypothesized that participants informed that the child, in the clip, was recently diagnosed with leukemia would attribute the child’s behavior to situational factors, whereas participants not given any information about the child in the clip, would attribute the child’s behavior to things intrinsic of the child.

To Travel Or To Compete? Motivations Of Masters Swimmers, Nancy M. Hritz, William D. Ramos

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

The underlying motivations behind participating in sports event such as a swim meet are complex and varied especially for adult participants. These motivations may be related to the thrill of the competition, or the excitement of traveling to a new pool or aquatic facility. Investigation of motivations behind participation can enable aquatic facility managers to create memorable experiences that boost participation and encourage repeat visitors that have social and economic benefits for the aquatic facility and event. We motivations of Masters swimmers using the Participant Motivation Questionnaire (PMQ) modified for swimmers and the Travel Career Ladder (TCL) at the 2006 …

Queer Teens And Legislative Bullies: The Cruel And Invidious Discrimination Behind Heterosexist Statutory Rape Laws, Michael J. Higdon

Scholarly Works

Most states make an exception to their statutory rape laws for sexual acts involving an adolescent victim, who is below the age of consent, when the defendant is close in age to the victim (i.e., generally no older than three or four years). However, a few states explicitly limit such exceptions (commonly referred to as Romeo and Juliet exceptions) to only those situations involving teens who are of the opposite gender. Thus, adolescents in these states who have sex with someone below the age of consent, and who are also the same gender as the defendant, cannot avail themselves to …

Finding A "Disappearing" Nontimber Forest Resource: Using Grounded Visualization To Explore Urbanization Impacts On Sweetgrass Basketmaking In Greater Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, Patrick T. Hurley, Angela C. Halfacre, Norm S. Levine, Marianne K. Burke

Environment and Sustainability Faculty Publications

Despite growing interest in urbanization and its social and ecological impacts on formerly rural areas, empirical research remains limited. Extant studies largely focus either on issues of social exclusion and enclosure or ecological change. This article uses the case of sweetgrass basketmaking in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, to explore the implications of urbanization, including gentrification, for the distribution and accessibility of sweetgrass, an economically important nontimber forest product (NTFP) for historically African American communities, in this rapidly growing area. We explore the usefulness of grounded visualization for research efforts that are examining the existence of "fringe ecologies" associated with NTFP. …

Torch (November 2008), Brandon Baldwin, Civil Rights Team Project

Torch: The Civil Rights Team Project Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Resisting And Transforming: Pastoral Theology And Care Of Korean Military Wives, Bocheol Chang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Korean military wives have been symbolized as "dirty," "nothing," and "evil" by Koreans, Korean Americans, and their American families. They also experience same level of oppression and discrimination within Korean American congregations. In Korea, the women suffered poverty, sexual violence, and Confucian gender discrimination. They have also experienced racial and sexual oppression, intercultural familial conflicts and violence, and identity crisis in America. All of those experiences are caused the sense of not belonging of Korean military wives.

The sense of not belonging and desperation can be explained well by Andrew Sung Park's theology of han. The theology of han …

Is Bigger Better Or Is Less More? : American Compared To Non-American Consumption Habits, Amanda Bratcher, Sofia Aneas, Jesus Lopez

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The purpose of this experiment was to determine if American participants compared to non-Americans participants would choose a bigger consumable item regardless of its cost when asked to choose between a smaller and larger item. Participants were shown a series of items that consisted of five pairings of two different-sized consumable items and asked to state their preference after each set of items was presented. This process was administered one time with pricing information of the items made known to the participants and one time without pricing information, counterbalancing of pricing information was utilized. The results concluded that price did …

Red Bull Marketing Techniques, Jennifer Hogenmiller, Kailey Steuber

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

The differences in marketing techniques using the product Red Bull Energy Drink was investigated in this research project. Three techniques were used: the participant was read aloud information, the participant read information from a pamphlet, and the participant was shown a power point presentation. These techniques were tested to discover whether the marketing technique influenced the consumer purchase of the product. 64 participants were tested, but only 31 participants’ data was used. Many participants’ data had to be excluded due to factors of affiliation and missing data. After conducting a one-way ANOVA, we did find statistical significance between the presentation …

Gender Strength Implications And Its Effects On Task Performance, Chelsea Schumacher

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

Throughout the history of research, there has been an immense interest regarding gender differences. Not only have variations in gender been observed through various social and physiological factors, but through cognitive factors as well. When reviewing previous research studies, it is evident that gender variations exist even when performing simple memory tasks. In the present study, the experimenter investigated whether implying opposing gender strength would have an effect on recall test performance. It was hypothesized that an individual would be motivated to perform more accurately on a recall test when opposing gender strength implications were introduced. When analyzing the results …

The Legacies Of Lindenwood: A Survey Of What Female Graduates Did After College, Elizabeth Dalton

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

This project looked at the women who graduated from Lindenwood College in the years 1955, 1965, 1975, and 1985 to see whether or not they used their degrees outside of the home. The hypothesis that more women would use their degrees outside of the home as a result of social changes as the decades increased was not supported as the trend began to decrease with the 1975 class.

Can’T Test This: Test Performance And Anxiety, Brian Judd, Danielle Merli, Jamie Zagar

Undergraduate Psychology Research Methods Journal

We analyzed test anxiety with performance on a standardized test. We had four groups of participants. We looked at two variables: time warning and presence of a confederate. We hypothesized that the performance of participants in a more natural test environment (testing in the presence of another test taker, i.e., the confederate) would perform worse than those who were tested by themselves, and that those who received a time warning would perform worse than those who did not receive a time warning. Those with a higher GPA would have performed better overall on the test. There was not a significant …

Prism #34, November 2008, Office Of The Provost

Prism: Western Michigan University's Newsletter for Academic Affairs

No abstract provided.

Campus Connection, November 2008, Vol. 10 No. 3, California State University, Monterey Bay

Campus Connection

Vince Otoupal Named Athletic Director -- Access To Change For Recreational Users -- Partnership To Provide Solar Power For CSUMB -- New University Magazine Debuts -- Library Open To Campus For First Time Dec. 1 -- Creativity And Speed Win At Gingerbread House Contest -- A Landscape Project That Really Rocks -- It's Out With Building Numbers, In With Names -- Meet Sam Pacheco -- President's Speaker Series: Irshad Manji -- Put On Your Dancing Shoes And Prepare To Party -- Bring Holiday Cheer To Needy Families -- New HR Appointment, Tamberly Petrovich -- New Employees, Status Changes, Probation Passed …

Blackworld, V. 28, I. 04, Stony Brook University

Blackworld

v. : ill. ; 38-43 cm (original analog pub.),Black world, v.28;n.4

Service Learning E-News - November 2008, Parkland College

Service Learning Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Counting The Contributions: Benchmarking For Your Organization And Your State, Andrew N. Rowan

Demography and Statistics for Companion Animal Populations Collection

An analysis of per-capita donations can help shelters assess their effectiveness in raising funds and awareness in their communities.

Discoveries: New And Noteworthy Social Research, Ryan Alaniz, Erika Busse, Keith A. Cunnien, Meghan L. Krausch, Wesley Longhofer, Heather Mclaughlin, Chika Shinohara, Jon Smajda, Jesse Wozniak

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

John Hazen White School Of Arts & Sciences Newsletter, November 2008, Vol. 14, Issue 1, Mary Barszcz Ed.

School of Arts & Sciences Newsletter

In 1995, with Gwenn Lavoie as its editor, the first issue of the John Hazen White School of Arts & Sciences Newsletter was published. The newsletter continues to share information about and publicize events sponsored by the School of Arts & Sciences and the accomplishments of that school's faculty. Three issues are published during each academic year by the School of Arts & Sciences Publicity Committee and editor Mary Barszcz.

Communicating For Influence: Christian Proclamation From The Margins, Brian A. Ross

Doctor of Ministry

It is my opinion that North American Christianity needs to re-consider how it communicates to young adults about following after the person of Jesus Christ. The Church should seek to understand the present cultural milieu and the implications of influencing from below. Established Christianity formerly held a position of prestige and relative power. Due to cultural and epistemological shifts this is no longer the situation. The message of Christ is still relevant in the new millennium, but the standard approaches to communicating and thus influencing others in this new world are at times no longer relevant. Much of organized Christianity …