Digital Commons Network^™

Academic Ethics Conflict In The Age Of Wikipedia And Turnitin.Com: A Study Assessing The Opinions Of Exiting College Students, Consuelo Doria Kelley

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

Technology has wrought paradigmatic shifts in societal, institutional, and individual power to instantly share and collaboratively produce knowledge, influencing the definition and perceived significance of academic ethics (AE), a continually evolving social construct. Student disregard of AE can generate wide-ranging conflicts affecting multiple student-success stakeholders: students, their families, instructors, administrators, schools, employers of graduates, and society. Dominant AE higher education institutional strategies typically position the individual student as the problem, leaving contextual influences on their academic conduct outside the AE conflict resolution discourse. The researcher conducted an exploratory research study to ascertain undergraduate students' opinions about AE at a university …

Sex Tourism In St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands: An Exploratory Study, Elizabeth Estes

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

St. Thomas, United States Virgin Islands, is similar to other tourism dependent Caribbean nations where the tourism industry is dependent upon the `4 S's'- sun, sand, sea, and sex. This researcher posited that the phenomenon of sex tourism exists in St. Thomas as it does in other tourist destinations in the Caribbean like Jamaica, Belize, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic and Barbados (Bailey and Ricketts, 2003; de Albuquerque, 1998; Munshi, 2006; Ryan and Kinder, 1996). The lacuna of any U.S. Virgin Islands sex tourism literature prompted this researcher to conduct an exploratory case study in St. Thomas to learn whether or …

The New Drug War Or The New Race War: Incarceration's Impact On Minority Children, Families, And Communities, Karen P. Lawrence

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

This non-experimental study examines the issues of over-representation of minorities in the criminal justice system due to drug-related incidences, race relations, and the impact such representation has on families, children, and communities. The exploration of the current criminal justice efforts against drugs is presented through a meta-analysis qualitative lens in an effort to disseminate the information on those arrested, sentenced, and subsequently incarcerated for various drug offenses. In an attempt to understand the encyclical racial disparities that promulgate the criminal justice system, the study relies on information from several key theorists to cement the discussions in the research. Qualitative data …

The Human Robot: A Narrative Study Of Identity Change In Mexico Through An Analysis Of Mexican Films, Cesar Vela-Beltran-Del-Rio

Department of Conflict Resolution Studies Theses and Dissertations

In order to succeed in an intellectually, economically, socially, and politically controlled system, as México, one has to develop a sense of inner direction and empowerment, where critical thinking is vital yet patriarchy becomes an impediment to the development of an inner compass and empowerment when it shapes and controls the masses’ identity and behavior through different strategies, methods, and institutions. One of the most powerful and popular identity shaping strategies is film making. Film is considered by most as a source of entertainment portraying social interactions. Yet it is a powerful identity-shaping tool for the establishment. It has been …

Antenna Selection And Mimo Capacity Estimation For Vehicular Communication Systems, Nischal Adhikari

Theses and Dissertations

Vehicular communication is one of the promising prospects of wireless communication capable of addressing the issues related to road safety, providing the framework for "smart" or "intelligent" cars. To provide a reliable wireless link for vehicular communication extensive channel modeling and measurements are required. In this thesis a novel cost-effective implementation of vehicular channel capacity measuring system using off-the-shelf devices is proposed. Then using the proposed system, various channel measurements are performed. The measurement results are utilized to examine multi-antenna systems for vehicular communication.

The challenge in developing an efficient network between cars is to understand the nature of random …

Vocabulary Assessment: A Comparison Between Clinical And Academic Measures, Lindsay Mae Anderson

Theses and Dissertations

Researchers have shown vocabulary knowledge to be highly linked to reading comprehension, and ultimately a strong predictor of academic success. Therefore, students' vocabulary skills should be carefully monitored and assessed as the demands of education increase.

The purpose of this study was to compare 28 fourth grade students' vocabulary scores on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test with scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-4 (PPVT-4) (Dunn & Dunn, 2007) and Expressive Vocabulary Test-2 (EVT-2) (Williams, 2007), two clinically used vocabulary measures with established validity. Strong correlations would potentially allow for the use of the MAP vocabulary test when …

Design And Optimization Of Organic Rankine Cycle For Low Temperature Geothermal Power Plant, Kirtipal Barse

Theses and Dissertations

Rising oil prices and environmental concerns have increased attention to renewable energy. Geothermal energy is a very attractive source of renewable energy. Although low temperature resources (90C to 150C) are the most common and most abundant source of geothermal energy, they were not considered economical and technologically feasible for commercial power generation. Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology makes it feasible to use low temperature resources to generate power by using low boiling temperature organic liquids. The first hypothesis for this research is that using ORC is technologically and economically feasible to generate electricity from low temperature geothermal resources. The second …

What Stages In The Phenology Of Corn Are The Most Correlated With Rainfed Corn Yields In The Corn Belt Using Remote Sensing?, Zachary Lee Braun

Theses and Dissertations

Two weekly and freely available remotely sensed vegetation indices, Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) and Temperature Condition Index (TCI), were assessed for state level corn yield correlation in the Corn Belt region of the United States for the years of 2007-2013. VCI and TCI were 16-km pixels which are derived from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR). Corn pixels were identified by downloading yearly USDA Cropscape pixels for corn in each state. Irrigated corn pixels were removed by using the 2007 Irrigated Agriculture Dataset developed by Pervez and Brown (2010) as a mask. Corn pixels were then resampled to 16-km …

Evaluation Of Selected Spectral Vegetation Indices In Senescent Rangeland Canopy Using Landsat Imagery, Marla Collins

Theses and Dissertations

Grassland birds are diminishing more steadily and rapidly than other North American birds in general. The nesting success of some grassland bird species depends on the amount of nonproductive vegetation (NPV). To estimate NPV land managers are currently using the Robel pole visual obstruction reading methods. Researchers with the USDA Agricultural Research Service's (ARS) Northern Great Plains Research Laboratory in Mandan, ND, recently established statistical relationships between photosynthetic vegetation (PV), NPV and spectral vegetation indices (SVIs) derived from more sensitive and more detailed, but less accessible and more costly hyperspectral aerial imagery. This study is an extension of this previous …

American Exceptionalism And The Antebellum Slavery Debate, Travis Cormier

Theses and Dissertations

American exceptionalism is the idea that America is or was somehow unique or different compared to other nations throughout history. Many Americans also believed that America had a special mission to be an example to the rest of the world. Many politicians and intellectuals have debated America's exceptionality since the founding of the country. The debate over American slavery during the antebellum era was in many ways a debate over American exceptionalism. Could America claim American exceptionality while they held on to slavery? George Fitzhugh, an ardent supporter of slavery during the antebellum period, argued that America was not exceptional …

A Brief Historiography Of The Opium Trade With A New Evaluation Of Dr. William H. Park's Opinions Of Over 100 Physicians On The Use Of Opium In China, Kimberly Gasparini

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis provides a brief historiography of the opium trade between Britain and China from the mid-nineteenth through the early twentieth centuries, followed by a reexamination of Dr. William H. Park's Opinions of Over 100 Physicians on the Use of Opium in China. While Dr. Park's compilation was critical in the fight to outlaw the legal opium trade, there were inherent problems with the document. R. K. Newman challenged the veracity of this document in 1995, but stopped short of offering an in-depth appraisal of the report. This thesis provides that critique, followed by suggestions for future utilization of this …

Application Of Method Developed For The Identification And Quantification Of Polar Components In Organic Liquid Products Of Selected Crop Oils And Deciphering The Mechanistic Aspects Of Cracking, Ashwini Geetla

Theses and Dissertations

Pyrolysis is a fundamental thermochemical process that can be used to convert triacylglycerides (TGs) in crop oils into valuable chemicals that may replace petroleum products. Biofuels, complex mixtures containing hundreds of species, are generated by the pyrolysis of crop oils. Presence of fatty acids (FAs) will limit the applicability of plant oils as biofuels since they are corrosive and form wax-like crystals at a cloud point that would plug filters. However, short chain FAs have a high commercial value as byproducts of biofuel production. The understanding of mechanism of pyrolysis may reveal pathways for production of favorable products. These pathways …

Employment Characteristics And Mental Health: A Quantitative Study, Keegan Charles August Hahn

Theses and Dissertations

Previous literature suggests that certain job characteristics may influence a person's mental health in a negative way. Work is an important part of every American's life. It is how they make money and can be how they identify themselves. This thesis examines that relationship further with new data and variables and also looks at the effect that the 2007 to 2009 U.S. recession had on increasing poor mental health among individuals. Americans' jobs were influenced by this national recession in multiple ways. This thesis explores the relationship between the national economy and how job characteristics impact American's poor mental health. …

Assessing Student Learning: A U.S./U.K. International Comparative Study, Kristin Anne Garaas-Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

This research examines the role of assessments of student learning in the United States, specifically a school system in North Dakota, comparatively to that of a school system in Surrey, England. Using a conceptual framework that is influenced by the work of Stiggins, Arter, Chappuis, and Chappuis with the Assessment Training Institute (2011) and the Assessment Reform Group (2002) on creating effective, balanced assessments for learning, three questions guided my study:

1. What are secondary (students ages 14-18) educators' beliefs about what, why, how, and for whom school systems are assessing students' learning?

2. What is the difference between educators' …

The Effects Of Whole Body Vibrations On Salivary Cortisol In Young Females In Squat Position, Rohini Gawande

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Despite the catabolic effect of cortisol on bone metabolism, and the potentially counteracting anabolic effect of whole body vibration (WBV) on bone, only a few studies have explored the effects of WBV on cortisol, the findings of which have

been inconclusive. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an acute bout of WBV on salivary cortisol levels in women. Method: This study utilized a randomized cross-over design, consisting of two individual treatment days: the vibration

intervention (V) and the non-vibration control (NV), with a washout period of 2-3 days between the two. Participants consisted …

Predicting Motivation, Exercise Behavior And The Reciprocal Relationship With Obesity Perceptions In College Students, Kylee Jo Heston

Theses and Dissertations

Obesity is an increasing problem worldwide, often described as an epidemic. Approximately 70% of men and women nationwide are overweight and/or obese, with roughly 34% meeting criteria for obesity. Women are increasing obesity rates faster than men and more women than men are currently obese nationwide and worldwide. Obesity leads to numerous physical, psychological, and social consequences and often a poor quality of life. Women are at risk for increased health complications, and college in particular has been associated with weight gain. Improper energy balance is a significant contributor. Achieving adequate exercise each week has been proven effective in obesity …

Successful Reorganization Of Rural North Dakota Schools With Declining Enrollment, Steven Lewis Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify perceptions of North Dakota leaders who had been involved in successfully reorganized school districts resulting from declining enrollments and reduced resources. All reorganized districts in this study were affected by serious declining enrollments in their respective rural communities. These successfully reorganized school districts developed reorganization plans and positive cultures within their communities that resulted in each plan being passed by a voting citizenship. The school districts studied laid the groundwork for reorganization with neighboring districts by forming cooperative agreements in athletics, shared staff, and shared special education services.

The researcher sought answers …

Generating A Characterization Method Utilizing The Visible (0.6-1.0 Μm) Peak Feature To Aid In Identification Of Ordinary Chondrite Parent Bodies, Cassandra Lynne Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Surveys in the visible to near infrared (VNIR) of main belt asteroids which cut off at the 1 micron wavelength prevent adequate characterization for approximately 2500 asteroids. This project aims at surveying spectral data from RELAB and Gaffey's meteorite datasets utilizing the peak feature located between charge transfer and Band I of 224 ordinary chondrite (OC) samples to analyze the peak position shifts with respect to subtypes H-, L- and LL- to generate a new characterization method. This method may make it possible to unite the datasets between the meteorites and asteroids to further constrain and characterize the OC parent …

Measuring The Effect Of Weighted Devices On Exercise Enjoyment, Nicholas Kruse

Theses and Dissertations

Physical activity provides an important health benefit for both males and females. Seven out of every ten U.S. deaths are from chronic disease and many of those deaths could have been preventable. With a lack of physical activity and poor diet, chronic illnesses such as obesity, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and type II diabetes were reported, (CDC, 2004). There is a steep decline in exercise from high school to college, which indicates that exercise adherence in college students is an issue. In this study, three conditions were examined with students at the University of North Dakota going through a plyometric protocol …

Advances In The Electrodeposition Of Aluminum From Ionic Liquid Based Electrolytes, Kirt Leadbetter

Theses and Dissertations

Aluminum plating is of considerable technical and economic interest because it provides an eco-friendly substitute for cadmium coatings used on many military systems. However, cadmium has been determined to be a significant environmental safety and occupational health (ESOH) hazard because of its toxicity and carcinogenic nature. Furthermore, the cost of treating and disposing of generated wastes, which often contain cyanide, is costly and is becoming prohibitive in the face of increasingly stringent regulatory standards. The non-toxic alternative aluminum is equivalent or superior in performance to cadmium. In addition, it could serve to provide an alternative to hexavalent chromium coatings used …

Correctional Education Programs: Institutional Predictors Of Availability, Shamilya Marielle Mitchell

Theses and Dissertations

Being a convicted felon can limit a person's life chances. Adding a lack of education and training to that felony conviction can further limit the ability to find stable employment and transition back into society. Correctional education programs can reduce recidivism rates, but there are a wide variety of programs and not every facility offers them. This study examines the institutional characteristics that predict the availability of vocational training and college course programs in correctional institutions. The data for this study come from the 2000 Census of State and Federal Adult Correctional Facilities. Data were collected from 84 federal correctional …

Climate Change Detection And Attribution Using Gps Radio Occultation And Cmip5 Gcm Data, Sergey Molodtsov

Theses and Dissertations

General circulation models (GCMs) show a distinct anthropogenic fingerprint - the thermal expansion of Hadley Cell. This response to the increase of atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) is evident under a variety of forcing scenarios. However the investigation of the anthropogenic signal in the real climate system is challenging because anthropogenic signal is immersed in the natural variability and it requires highly quality data to separate signal from background variability. GPS Radio Occultation (GPS RO) technique becomes close to meeting all of the quality requirements, enabling it to become the benchmark for the climate data. The analysis was implemented …

Attention, Please, Abbey Marie Numedahl

Theses and Dissertations

A thesis of short fiction that examines the lives of contemporary American women through five short stories.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy And Spectroscopy Studies Of Zinc-Phthalocyanine Adsorption On Sic(0001) And Iridium-Modified Silicon Surfaces, Dylan Nicholls

Theses and Dissertations

Studies were performed on two seemingly different topics, molecular thin films on graphite/graphene and metal induced changes in various cuts of silicon (Si) surfaces. However, both projects share the underlying theme of self-assembly. Since nature can rely upon self-assembly at the nano-scale, all that is needed is to discover functional means to create components for integrated circuits as well as electronic and photonic devices.

Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy (STM/STS) studies were carried out to characterize the morphology of thin porphyrin films on graphite and the effects of Zn-Phthalocyanine (Zn-Pc) adsorption on the electronic properties of graphene. It was found …

Simon In Performance: The Analysis And Direction Of Rumors, Brett Olson

Theses and Dissertations

The direction of any theatrical production is fraught with challenges and opportunities for growth. In textual analysis and research of Neil Simon's Rumors and directing methods, skills were developed to better direct the University of North Dakota Theatre Department's 2014 production of Rumors. The project culminated in a well-received production of Rumors that challenged the student/actors of UND to learn a farcical style of acting and the director to stage, communicate style, and organize a fully mounted production.

Effects Of Generic Versus Personally Delivered Education And Self-Disclosure On Elementary School Children's Social Attitudes Towards A Peer With Tourette Syndrome, Erin Lynn Olufs

Theses and Dissertations

Children with tic disorders are at a higher risk for peer rejection and social withdrawn. Children who face peer rejection are at greater risk for internalizing, externalizing, and social problems, and often experience extreme loneliness and a lack of friendships. The impact of educational videos and self-disclosure have been examined in separate studies and have been shown to increase positive attitudes towards those with TS, but the two methods of education have not yet been directly compared to one another with a student population. In the current study, the differential effects of receiving professional TS education, self-disclosure TS education, and …

Progressing Science, Technology, Engineering, And Math (Stem) Education In North Dakota With Near-Space Ballooning, Marissa Elizabeth Saad

Theses and Dissertations

The United States must provide quality science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education in order to maintain a leading role in the global economy. Numerous initiatives have been established across the United States that promote and encourage STEM education within the middle school curriculum. Integrating active learning pedagogy into instructors' lesson plans will prepare the students to think critically - a necessary skill for the twenty first century.

This study integrated a three-week long Near Space Balloon project into six eighth grade Earth Science classes from Valley Middle School in Grand Forks, North Dakota. It was hypothesized that after the …

Neighborhood Perceptions In The Near South Side Neighborhood Of Grand Forks, Nd, Mikel Elizabeth Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Older neighborhoods across the country are at risk of collapse. In response, city governments are taking a renewed interest in their older inner-city districts. Urban Neighborhood Initiatives (UNI) is one way local governments are renewing and revitalizing these neighborhoods. This is happening in Grand Forks, ND. Consequently, this study's focus is on the perceptions of residents in the Near South Side neighborhood (NSS).

Data was collected through a questionnaire survey. A total of 203 replies were received from the pool of 740 surveys distributed in the Mayors Urban Neighborhood Initiative and the attached historic district. The four research questions focused …

Mapping Techniques For Soil Erosion: Modeling Stream Power Index In Eastern North Dakota, Rick Thalacker

Theses and Dissertations

Soil erosion is a worldwide problem that can negatively affect surface water through the introduction of sediment, nutrients (eg. nitrogen, phosphorus), pesticides, and other chemicals. Soil erosion is often exacerbated by agricultural and other types of land use. The objective of this study was to identify gully locations in agricultural fields adjacent to the Turtle and Forest rivers in eastern North Dakota that accumulate surface flow resulting in areas of critical surface erosion in a GIS using the Stream Power Index (SPI). A field survey was conducted to verify the accuracy of the terrain analysis at identifying 391 gully and …

Determinants Of Gold Returns: An Austrian Perspective, Justin Nicholas Theriot

Theses and Dissertations

In this article, I offer a comprehensive analysis on the factors that influence the gold market in relation to returns to demonstrate that gold moves as a currency. I employed a wide range of macroeconomic and commodity variables to investigate the underlying movements in the gold market. The methodology followed four simple steps; 1) correlation tests, 2) vector autoregression model of two lags, 3) auto-regressive integrated moving average model and 4) generalized autoregressive conditional heoteroskedasticity. This methodology enabled me to

convey that gold moves more as a currency and not as an investment. The main findings of this paper provided …