Digital Commons Network^™

Marin Beck Honors Portfolio, Marin Elisabeth Beck

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Marin Beck's honors portfolio captured in December 2014.

Katie Westermayer Honors Portfolio, Katie Lynn Westermayer

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Katie Westermayer's honors portfolio captured in December 2014.

Kristen Paulsen Honors Portfolio, Kristen Chastine Paulsen

Honors Capstone Portfolios

Kristen Paulsen's honors portfolio captured in December 2014.

Testing A Risky Sex Behavior Intervention Pilot Website For Adolescents, Randall Starling, Don Helme, Jessica A. Nodulman, Angela D. Bryan, David B. Buller, Robert Lewis Donohew, W. Gill Woodall

Communication Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Each year, teenagers account for about one-fifth of all unintended pregnancies in the United States. As such, delivering sexual risk reduction educational materials to teens in a timely fashion is of critical importance. Web-based delivery of these materials shows promise for reaching and persuading teens away from risky sexual and substance abuse behaviors. The purpose of this study was to pilot test a web-based program aimed at reducing risky sexual behavior and related outcomes among adolescents in a high school setting.

METHODS: A beta-test of the website was conducted in three public schools in New Mexico, USA …

Encryption And Incrimination: The Evolving States Of Encrypted Drives, Shannon M. Oltmann

Information Science Faculty Publications

Individuals use encryption to safeguard many valid and legal applications but also to hide illegal activity. Several legal cases have drawn the limits of self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment regarding providing passwords to access illegal information content,such as child pornography. The cases illustrate that certain knowledge of evidence amounts to a compelling need for access and that a subpoena for hard drive contents is more likely to succeed than requiring a witness to provide a password. Since known documents are not legally protected and biometric data can be compelled as evidence, there is no reason that known digital documents, biometric …

Designing A Library Data Service, Bradley Gulliford

UTA Libraries Staff Publications - Archive

No abstract provided.

Deliberative Democracy And The American Civil Jury, Valerie P. Hans, John Gastil, Traci Feller

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

Civil jury service should be a potent form of deliberative democracy, creating greater civic engagement. However, a 2010 seven-state study of jury service and voting records found no overall boost in civic engagement following service on civil juries, whereas jurors who served on criminal cases did show increased civic engagement following their jury service. This article reports a project that augments the civil jury data set with information about jury decision rule, jury size, defendant identity, and case type and examines whether specific types of civil jury service influence postservice voting. Taking into account preservice voting records, jurors who serve …

A Tale Of Two (And Possibly Three) Atkins: Intellectual Disability And Capital Punishment Twelve Years After The Supreme Court's Creation Of A Categorical Bar, John H. Blume, Sheri Lynn Johnson, Paul Marcus, Emily C. Paavola

Cornell Law Faculty Publications

This article examines empirically the capital cases decided by the lower courts since the United States Supreme Court created the categorical ban against the execution of persons with intellectual disability twelve years ago in the Atkins decision.

Combating The Motivational Interference Potential Of Technological Distractions During Academic Tasks: The Role Of Academic Delay Of Gratification, Abraham E. Flanigan

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The presence of technological distractions during homework and study diminishes students’ ability to self-regulate effectively, a phenomenon known as motivational interference. To date, no studies have explored the relationship between college students’ delay of gratification tendencies and motivational interference. Do students with greater delay of gratification tendencies experience less motivational interference from a potential distraction? The present study explored this question by comparing students’ academic delay of gratification tendencies with their experiences of motivational interference. Participants self-reported their delay of gratification tendencies then completed an academic task while confronted with a computer distractor. Afterward, participants self-reported their motivational interference scores. …

The Effect Of Agricultural Practices On Sugar Beet Root Aphid (Pemphigus Betae Doane) And Beneficial Epigeal Arthropods, Rudolph J. Pretorius

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study investigated the effect of several agricultural practices on the sugar beet root aphid (Pemphigus betae Doane) and beneficial epigeal natural enemies in western Nebraska sugar beet agroecosystems. Eight glyphosate-tolerant sugar beet varieties were evaluated under field conditions for their resistance to root aphids. High levels of aphid resistance were detected for some varieties. In conjunction to this, pitfall sampling was conducted to determine the beneficial epigeal natural enemy complex in the area, which could contribute to the management of both root aphids and glyphosate-resistant weeds. Ground beetles comprised an important and abundant component of this fauna, with …

Influences On Student Attitudes About U.S. Involvement In Nation-Building, Tobin C. Beck

Department of Political Science: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

How do college students form opinions about a complex foreign policy issue such as U.S. involvement in nation-building? My study shows that in 2012, students identifying as conservative tended to support nation-building in proportion to their perception of the strength of their own and their parents' conservatism. The association between perception of conservatism and support for nation-building was statistically significant in 2012, although there was no statistically significant overall association between student political ideology and support for U.S. involvement in nation-building. However, a relationship between conservative student perception of ideology and support for nation-building was not detected in 2011 data. …

From Burma To Berlin: The Development Of U.S. Air Transport 1938–1949, Benjamin J. Johnson

Department of History: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This work examines the development of U.S. military airlift from unproven curiosity to a transformative system of technologies, tactics and logistical support which enabled the United States to engage diplomatic and military scenarios around the world. Through an examination of contemporary reports, technological advances and statistical analyses of airlift practices it is shown that the period of 1938-1949 witnessed a great leap in tactical and technological innovation within the U.S. air transport community. The capabilities utilized during air supply missions to China during World War II and the Berlin Airlift foreshadowed a transformative capability providing military and diplomatic solutions when …

Identification Of Groundwater Sources For Municipal Wells Using Geochemical Data On The Platte Alluvial Aquifer And Underlying Limestone At The Lincoln Water Well Field Near Ashland Nebraska, Juanita Cruz Torres

Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Alluvial aquifer systems where pumping of municipal wells induces recharge from the adjacent river are the primary source of water for many cities. The city of Lincoln, NE has a primary water source in an alluvial aquifer adjacent to the Platte River. The Lincoln Water System manages the stream/aquifer system by using integrated models for a better understanding during periods of high stress such as a drought. The integrated models set the limestone aquifer as an impermeable boundary to understand the alluvial aquifer system without having a secondary water source. The limestone aquifer is permeable and the purpose of this …

Carbohydrate Metabolism And The Trehalose Biosynthetic Pathway In Maize Kernels Grown In Vitro Under Sucrose Starvation Stress, Samuel W. Bledsoe

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Drought is an increasing issue that many farmers encounter especially in hot arid climates with little rainfall. High temperatures and inadequate rainfall at certain stages in crop development can have disastrous consequences to yield. In maize, drought occurring near or during the flowering stage often causes significant kernel abortion that greatly impacts potential yield. The trehalose biosynthetic pathway has recently been found to be important in plant metabolism in response to stress in higher order plants. Trehalose is currently known throughout the plant and animal kingdoms as an osmoprotectant, high energy fuel source, structural component, and involved in pathogen response. …

Interpretative Ingredients: Formulating Art And Natural History In Early Modern Brazil, Amy Buono

Art Faculty Articles and Research

"In this article I look at two early modern texts that pertain to the natural history of Brazil and its usage for medicinal purposes. These texts present an informative contrast in terms of information density and organization, raising important methodological considerations about the ways that inventories and catalogues become sources for colonial scholarship in general and art history in particular."

“Danger Is My Business”: The Right To Manufacture Unsafe Products, Richard C. Ausness

Law Faculty Scholarly Articles

While no one would dispute that safety is a desirable objective, it may not always be an absolute priority. Rather, in some cases, other societal interests such as personal autonomy, consumer choice, product cost, and performance may trump legitimate safety goals. This is reflected in some of the doctrines and defenses that have evolved to protect the producers of unsafe products against tort liability. Some of these doctrines, such as those determining liability for the producers of optional safety equipment, inherently dangerous products, products with obvious hazards, and prescription drugs and medical devices, are part of the law of products …

Mapping The Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Sensorimotor Integration During The Perception And Performance Of Wallowing, Megan E. Cuellar

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Similar to other complex sequences of muscle activity, swallowing relies heavily upon ‘sensorimotor integration.’ It is well known that the premotor cortex and primary sensorimotor cortices provide critical sensorimotor contributions that help control the strength and timing of swallowing muscle effectors. However, the temporal dynamics of sensorimotor integration remains unclear, even when performed normally without neurological compromise. Recent advances in EEG analysis blind source separation techniques via independent component analysis offer a novel and exciting opportunity to measure cortical sensorimotor activity in realtime during swallowing, concurrently with muscle activity during swallow initiation. In the current study, mu components were identified, …

Reading And Math Outcome Equity Of Students, By Language, Ethnicity, And Gender Conditions, Required To Participate In An Attendance Court Program Based On Excessive School Absences, Kenneth E. Defrank

Student Work

The purpose of this study is to determine the reading and math outcome equity of students, by, language, ethnicity, and gender conditions required to participate in the Grand Island Public Schools Attendance program based on third-grade through eighth grade excessive school absences in the 2010–2011 school year. The data presented in the study indicates that overall the Grand Island Public School Attendance program improved attendance of students who were involved in the attendance program. In the third-grade 77% of students involved in the attendance program improved their attendance. In the fourth-grade 83% of students involved in the attendance program improved …

The Impact Of The Gradual Release Of Responsibility On Graduate Teacher Education Candidates’ Self-Efficacy With Ipads, Wendy L. Loewenstein

Student Work

Keeping up with technological innovations is a challenge for educational intuitions as they strive to prepare students to be competitive in a future workforce. This is an overwhelming task for educational leaders that extends beyond which technological device to purchase. This study examines the barriers to iPad integration in education and how the gradual release of responsibility method of instruction can be used to increase participants’ self-efficacy with iPads. The participants (N = 41) were teacher education graduate candidates enrolled in a Children’s Literature course in which they were provided access to iPads. Survey results revealed that candidates’ efficacy prior …

Tuning In And Tuning Out Technology, Jasmin Tahmaseb-Mcconatha

Psychology Faculty Publications

Clearly the picture is complex. A large percentage of Americans benefit from the use of technology. The Internet can serve as a valuable tool for people of all ages. It can empower to be better informed about our health and enable us to connect with family, friends. It can help us do our more efficiently. But these benefits have costs. Connectivity both increases and decreases social isolation.

Media Sensationalism And Its Implications On The Public Understanding Of Science, Christopher Barsoum

HIM 1990-2015

Myths, misinformation, and sensationalism. These are common enemies that directly inhibit the public understanding of science. In particular, the media is often responsible for mishandling or otherwise misrepresenting scientific information, historically and presently speaking. Many sources can combat the public understanding of science through pseudoscientific means. This includes but is not limited to religion, the media, politics, or just simple hearsay. For example, Young Earth creationism is deeply rooted in Christian theology, but the beliefs hold no scientific basis. Yet, almost half of Americans still believe in Young Earth creationism. Another such example is anti-vaccination campaigns due to fears of …

The Constitutionality Of Warrantless Cell Phone Searches: Incident To Arrest, Kylie Brown

HIM 1990-2015

As technology has developed, Americans have come to carry their most private information around with them in their pockets in digital form on their cell phones. A cell phone has immense storage capacity and can contain a wide variety of communicative information about its owner. In the past, there had been a disagreement among the lower courts as to whether police officers could search the contents of an arrestee's cell phone when making an arrest. The United States Supreme Court settled this disagreement in Riley v. California; in that case, the Court held that the warrantless search of a cell …

A Comparison Of Teacher Perceptions Of Middle School Mathematics Textbooks In The United States And The United Kingdom, Porscha Clonts

HIM 1990-2015

This study was a qualitative research study dedicated to the deep investigation of a regular and advanced seventh grade mathematics textbook used in Florida and the United Kingdom. A questionnaire was created for a teacher in both locations, along with the researcher, to rate the textbooks according to different characteristics. The two research questions that were answered through the research include: 1. In what ways, if any, is diversity represented in the pages of each seventh grade mathematics textbooks examined? a. In what ways is the diversity of each textbook comparable to the observed diversity of the country in which …

Cultural Relevance In Medicine: An Evaluation Of Cultural Competence Curriculum Integration In Southeastern Medical Schools, Leslie Gannon

HIM 1990-2015

Cultural competence in health care provision has been broadly identified as the need for providers to acknowledge, address, or incorporate an understanding of the cultural and social context of patients' lives into the process of treating and managing patient's illnesses. However, how cultural competence can be incorporated has been the subject of debates in biomedicine and anthropology, and has often been met with difficulties in physician practice. These challenges arise from differing perspectives about how cultural competence is understood and institutional neglect of culturally relevant education. While the need for cultural competence integration into health care practitioner training during medical …

Exploring A Relationship Between Social Anxiety Disorder And Bilingualism, Nicholas James

HIM 1990-2015

This study investigated the possible relationship between bilingualism and social anxiety disorder. Past research has indicated developmental delays in language as increasing risk for other psychological difficulties. With the pressure to learn two languages, possibly in the drastically different environments of home, school, and/or work, individuals may be vulnerable to becoming socially anxious in conjunction with language use. This study examined a series of factors surrounding linguistic development and reports of social anxiety. Participants were divided into 4 groups: Socially Anxious (SA; n = 43) monolinguals, Non-Socially Anxious (Non-SA; n = 81) monolinguals, SA bilinguals (n = 30), and Non-SA …

Exploring The Effects Of Social Media Use On The Mental Health Of Young Adults, Amelia Strickland

HIM 1990-2015

The intent of this thesis is to explore the relationship between social media use and mental health in the young adult population. Current research indicates that there is a connection between increased social media use and deteriorated mental health. Unfortunately, young adults, the most active social media users, have a predominantly high risk for developing mental health issues, making this connection particularly concerning. At present, it is unclear how social media and mental health are connected; therefore this thesis explores the individual and social theories that may give reason for this connection. Theories that are discussed include: the impact of …

Queen Isabella And The Spanish Inquisition: 1478-1505, Lori Nykanen

HIM 1990-2015

Queen Isabella (1451-1505) daughter of King John II of Castile and Queen Isabella of Portugal has been accredited for some of the most famous accomplishments of medieval Spain. Through her succession to the Castilian throne in 1479 Isabella created a secular government, which enabled her to restore the monarch's power and wealth, and gave her a wide reaching authority over her kingdom. The Queen, being a pious Catholic, reestablished Catholicism as the official religion of Castile and brought forward a tribunal to help her reinforce her desires for sincere Christian piousness and to bring retribution to those who were heretical …

Elementary Pre-Service Teachers' Perceptions Of Thematic Unit Instruction Versus Single-Subject Instruction, Shana Shea

HIM 1990-2015

The focus of this research project was to determine whether thematic unit instruction or traditional, single-subject instruction was perceived to be the more effective and engaging way of teaching as decided by pre-service teachers. Research has shown that incorporating multiple subjects into one unit or topic of study helps to create more engagement and connections to which students can relate. In creating these connections, students can relate the content to their real life and in turn, better comprehend and retain the material. The pre-service teachers attend the University of Central Florida's College of Education and Human Performance. They voluntarily participated …

Media Influence On Risky Driving Behaviors Among Adolescents And Emerging Adults, Kelly Silberman

HIM 1990-2015

Within the last few decades there has been an abundant increase in the amount of violent video games and movies shown within the media. Many of these violent videogames and movies include reckless driving behaviors or certain car scenarios that engross the viewer into wishing to imitate the actions they see on the screen. With that being said, majority of these viewers are adolescents or emerging adults who are beginning to drive and are prone to replicating what they see as adequate driving behaviors. The intent of this thesis is to indicate whether or not the amount of risky driving …

Exploring The Impact Of Bibliotherapy And Family Literacy Bags On Elementary Students Experiencing Divorce, Simone Smith

HIM 1990-2015

The purpose of this research project was to use picture books to create family literacy bags surrounding the topic of divorce, in order to explore their impact on children and families. Divorce is on the rise and so many children are facing, or may face divorce, in their preadolescent lives. This thesis involved creating a tool that will help enrich family support and guidance with issues or stressors that arise from the divorce. As educators, caregivers and school personnel consider the use of family literacy bags, my research has the potential to impact these students and their families. Through my …