Digital Commons Network^™

Reading Academic Citations: How Professors And Graduate Students Read For Different Purposes, Grant Eckstein, Sarah Miner, Katie Watkins, Judy James, Mornie Sims, Allison Wallace Baker, Larissa Grahl

Faculty Publications

Citations provide truncated yet socially complex information about sources in academic texts which students are obliged to read, comprehend, and then ultimately produce as part of an academic discourse community. While researchers have observed a developmental process whereby students produce citations during source-based writing, little work has investigated the reading stage when students visually encounter citations. In this study, we explored academic reading behaviors by examining eye movements of 27 graduate students and 18 professors as they read 6 authentic research texts for various purposes (summary, analysis, synthesis). Results of factorial ANOVAs showed no differences between students and professors but …

Factors That Facilitate Or Impair Kinesic And Vocalic Nonverbal Behaviors During Interpersonal Deception, Judee K. Burgoon, Lauren M. Hamel, J. Pete Blair, Nathan W. Twyman

Faculty Publications

Nonverbal demeanor has long been thought to be a high-fidelity display window into a person’s inner self. At the same time, nonverbal behaviors are thought by laypeople to be reliable indicators of dissembling. In the realm of deception, both of those beliefs are true—and false. Humans can choose to reveal their personal identity, affiliations, attitudes, and behavioral inclinations through their nonverbal presentation of self. But, as the adaptive creatures that they are, humans also use their nonverbal actions to fabricate, conceal, and evade. In this respect, deception can disguise the true self and yet can also betray the truth. In …

Metaphors Of Political Satire: A Study Of Online Jordanian News Columns, Abedlrazaq Albtoush Mohammad Abedltif

Student Works (2020-2029)

This study aims at examining types of universal and culturally-specific metaphors utilized in satirical socio-political columns of online Jordanian news columns. The selected dataset comprises 97 extracts across the years 2010-2015 and is compiled from the website www.sawaleif.com, which is mainly concerned with the writings of a well-known Jordanian columnist, Ahmad Hasan Al-Zu’bi. The study is mainly qualitative and is handled within the theoretical framework of the conceptual metaphor theory proposed by Lakoff and Johnson (1980) as well as the critical metaphor analysis championed by Charteris-Black (2004-2005). The linguistic metaphors are manually calculated in order to identify the different target …

Measuring Language Development Through Self-Assessment, Troy L. Cox, Dan Dewey

Faculty Publications

Talk to any cyclist or runner, and they can name instances when the universe seems to conspire against them with headwinds that hinder their progress. It is easy to identify and often blame external forces for causing us to fail. Conversely, we often attribute success to our own ability, being blissfully unaware of the tailwinds that assist us. This blindness to headwind/tailwind asymmetry (Davidai & Gilovich, 2016) in viewing one’s own performance is not limited solely to endurance athletes but can be found in other areas of self-assessment. Performance rarely occurs in a vacuum. There are typically external forces that …

Chemical Disease Relation Extraction Task Using Genetic Algorithm With Two Novelvoting Methods For Classifier Subset Selection, Stanley Chika Onye, Nazi̇fe Di̇mi̇li̇ler, Ari̇f Akkeleş

Turkish Journal of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences

Biomedical relation extraction is an important preliminary step for knowledge discovery in the biomedical domain. This paper proposes a multiple classifier system (MCS) for the extraction of chemical-induced disease relations. A genetic algorithm (GA) is employed to select classifier ensembles from a pool of base classifiers. Moreover, the voting method used for combining the members of each of the ensembles is also selected during evolution in the GA framework. The performances of the MCSs are determined by the algorithms used for selecting the classifiers, the diversity among the selected classifiers, and the voting method used in the classifier combination. The …

Law And Multidimensional Measurement, Ronald J. Coleman, Ana Vaz

Southern Illinois University Law Journal

Without accurate measurement of phenomena, it can be difficult to enact targeted corrective policies. While measurement in the social sciences is always challenging, it becomes infinitely more so when the phenomena under study are multifaceted and, thus, cannot easily be assessed by reference to a single factor. Phenomena of this latter variety might include governance, empowerment, or rule of law. Multidimensional measurement techniques have sought to capture such phenomena. Legal scholarship utilizing multidimensional measurement has, to date, generally focused on techniques treating each factor independently, which fails to reveal the interdependency of different factors.

This Article seeks to fill that …

Examining Boundary Conditions To The Attitude Consistency Effect, Dylan Blaum

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Research on the impact of attitudes on argument processing has found that attitudes and beliefs can impact evaluation and processing, but has not deeply explored boundary conditions to this attitude consistency effect. This dissertation investigates three types of boundary conditions to this effect: whether the quality of the argument matters (argument quality), whether the individual’s strength of that attitude matters (attitude strength), and whether the evaluative nature of the task matters (task).

In Experiment 1, I found some support for argument quality as a boundary condition to the attitude consistency effect. Attitude consistent arguments were rated as higher quality/stronger than …

Elementary School Teacher Characteristics Associated With Self-Efficacy For Using Technology To Implement Constructivist Content Instruction: An Explanatory Correlational Study, Patricia Barton

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Technology mediated constructivist practices may be effective, but there are challenges for implementing them, and one challenge is the teachers themselves and their self-efficacy. Teachers of different backgrounds may differ on self-efficacy in technology mediated constructivist practices, and those possible differences can warrant different training approaches. For this study, 212 K-5 teachers from small to medium sized rural and suburban school districts in the Midwestern US, as well as teachers from a variety of other geographic areas, completed an online survey. The dependent variable self-efficacy in Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge (SE-C-TPACK) was regressed on the independent variables. The independent …

Writing And Well-Being: Comparing Varied Expressive Writing Tasks On Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms And Life Satisfaction, Zena Dadouch

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Frontline treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been extensively researched, and there is significant support for their efficacy in decreasing PTSD symptomatology and improving life quality. However, the treatments seem to be burdensome, as a significant minority does not improve or drops out before the continuation of treatment. This pattern could be explained partially by the time commitment, cost of and access to treatment, and the resulting emotional overload. Therefore, it is useful to explore other avenues that could lead to improvements in symptomatology and well-being and that are more accessible and manageable. One possible direction is expressive writing …

The Influence Of The Type Of Supernatural And Paranormal Media On The Belief In The Various Forms Of Supernatural And Paranormal Phenomena, Mellissa Halsey

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This thesis compares the consumption of the three different types of media: reality, live action fictional, and animated fictional, and the belief in the different types of supernatural and paranormal belief. The various phenomena addressed in this thesis were angels, demons, ghosts, psychics, aliens/UFOS, zombies, and Bigfoot. Models were created to test the belief level of each specific phenomena type against each of the three types of media, if enough media examples existed of each phenomena type. This type of analysis was used so that each media could be considered separately and then compared to each other. The hypotheses were …

The Effect Of Tax Policy On Firm Behavior And Executive Pay Components, Sheikh Touhidul Haque

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The first chapter of this dissertation is motivated by the cross-sectional differences in the willingness of firms to minimize tax based on their financial structure. We investigate whether ”financially constrained” firms increase tax aggressiveness compared to it’s immediate ”less constrained” condition in response to an exogenous state tax increase. We also test whether our prediction holds true for financially distressed firms. Our identification strategy exploits 43 increases in corporate income tax rates staggered across 23 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., between 1989 and 2012. Our results reveal that constrained firms (as ranked by Kaplan & Zingales (1997) index (KZ index …

Relative Deprivation And Xenophobia: Patterns Of Anti-Vietnamese Radicalism Among Cambodia's Opposition Parties From 1993 - Present, Ratanak Khun

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Anti-Vietnamese sentiment has been the most highly displayed rhetoric by generations of Cambodian politicians. In contemporary Cambodia, the opposition parties have actively engaged in tirades aimed at the Vietnamese and the ruling CPP which came to power with Vietnamese military support in 1979. How are we to explain the hatred against the Vietnamese in Cambodia? From the examination of the activities of the BLDP, the royalist FUNCINPEC, and the CNRP, we conclude that relative deprivation of a role of power on the political stage emerges as a potential factor that explains why members of Cambodian opposition parties have taken a …

Issues Of Modernity In Russian And U.S. Southern Discourse: Literary And Cinematic Crosscurrents, Zachary John Killebrew

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation traces formulations of modernity, national and regional identity, and economy in the literature and film of Russia and the U.S. South from serfdom to the Second World War. Studying serf and slave narratives, Russian Realist and Southern Renaissance novels such as The Brothers Karamazov (1879), Demons (1872), The Sound and the Fury (1929), Tobacco Road (1932), and Wise Blood (1952), and American and Soviet films such as Volga, Volga (1938) and Cabin in the Sky (1943), this examination locates within Russo-Southern discourses a shared interest in striking out against Western or Northern epistemologies to assert a “peripheral” modernity …

Pursuing Procedural Justice In Sustainability Policy: Assessing The Linkage Between Political Culture And Municipal Efforts, Meng Yuan

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

How does the political culture of local governments influence the type and extent of procedural justice in sustainability policy processes? Answering this question is important because political culture is potentially a significant influence on local governments that could be better conceptualized and theorized and because public participation in sustainability policy processes is central to the demands of procedural justice in environmental justice (EJ) movements. This dissertation seeks to bring a new conception and new measures of political culture to the study of policy making by local governments as well as to contribute to developing the conceptualization and measurement of public …

Case Study: Examining Perceptions Of Students With Low Vision In Online Courses, Asma Fuad Marghalani

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This qualitative case study explored the most helpful accommodations for students with low vision in online courses. Utilizing online surveys and individual interviews, this case study took place at a U.S. public university in the Midwest. The theoretical framework for this study was Universal Design for Learning (UDL). The findings indicate that students with low vision prefer receiving text and audio information. Additionally, the findings showed that extended time was the most helpful accommodation, alternative formats for materials, headings, and color-contrasting for online content were the most helpful accessibility aspects, and screen readers were the most helpful assistive technology. The …

Partial Shading In Photovoltaic Cells Using Fuzzy Logic Tuned Particle Swarm Optimization Method Of Maximum Power Point Tracking Control, Nauman Moiz Mohammed Abdul

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This paper dealt with the study of a newly modified fuzzy adaptive particle swarm

optimization controller and compared it with various existing conventional and advanced

controllers. A traditional PSO controller has the problems of oscillations and slow convergence. It is modified using fuzzy logic to decrease the number of oscillations and optimize

the convergence speed to produce a better efficient output. This controller is built to adapt

under various solar irradiances and partial solar conditions on the solar panels. This controller is then tested along with other various controllers, results recorded and studied. The

simulations are performed on the MatLab …

“I Never Shared My Opinion Again”: Political Communication Apprehension And Conservative College Students, Megan Elise Montgomery

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Higher education faculty have long struggled with getting students to participate meaningfully in classroom and campus dialogues. Some students avoid participating due to fear or anxiety of communicating with others. Certain topics, such as politics, can cause higher degrees of apprehension. Political minority groups can experience greater apprehension when communicating with majority groups. One minority group in academia with the potential to self-censor is the conservative student.

This study used state-based communication apprehension (McCroskey, 1984) and political communication apprehension (PCA, Jones-Carmack, 2019) as theoretical backings to explore how conservative opinion expression and self-censorship in academic settings might change over time. …

Phenomenological Exploration Of School Social Workers' Perceptions Of Grade Retention, Veda Newman

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research study focuses on the perspectives of school social workers in understanding and addressing the complexities of grade retention. Brené Brown's Rising Strong Theory and Urie Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Model of Human Development provide the conceptual frameworks for exploring the lived experiences of school social workers in addressing grade retention. Scholarly research on grade retention illuminates the divergent views and findings on the subject. An overview of the historic and current school social work profession is provided to situate the school social workers' role in addressing the social, emotional, and academic needs of students. The research methodology for this study …

Speculative Satire In Twentieth-Century Utopia And Dystopia, Benjamin Craig Parker

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This study integrates the literature and correspondence of such Inklings authors as C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien into the arc of Commonwealth utopian and dystopian literature of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Because utopian authors such as Samuel Butler, William Morris, and H. G. Wells employ the utopian form pioneered by Thomas More but largely abandon More’s Augustinian Catholic view of human nature, their works frequently fail to address the impediments to justice and equity that More satirically addresses in Utopia. Thus, the speculative fiction of later Augustinian Christian authors such as Lewis and Tolkien complements …

Often Overlooked, But Not Forgotten: The Influence Of Demographic Measure Constraints On Participant Affect, Attitudes, Behavior, And Response Codability, Joy S. Pawirosetiko

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Despite a growing number of recommendations varying in wording and response options, researchers have yet to agree on how to best request participant gender identity. Evidence suggests that gender binary and gender minority participants perceive gender identity measures differently, with gender binary participants potentially perceiving more gender inclusive measures as laborious and gender minority participants perceiving less gender inclusive measures as misgendering or invalidating. We sought to test whether seven versions of an online questionnaire (six experimental conditions with gender identity questions listed at the beginning of the questionnaire varying in gender inclusivity, and one control condition) significantly impacted participant …

Developing Text-Based Writing And Working Through The Revision Process, Valerie Clark

Masters Theses

A narrative continuation is designed to assess a student’s ability to comprehend a text selection and use their own creativity to redesign the text’s conclusion. This study took a narrative continuation writing assessment and analyzed the process which 41 sixth grade students followed, specifically looking at the prewriting and revision procedures. The goal was to determine if the supports and resources provided were effective for the type of writing and student population. Throughout the process, students’ behaviors which indicated motivation levels were noted (participation in discussions, level of focus, attentiveness, and amount of redirection required). Student work was then reviewed …

Investigating The Economic Impacts Of Globalization On Employment Generation In Africa: Case Study Of The Ecowas, William Dickson Amenyo

Masters Theses

A review of the ongoing debate on the economic impacts of globalization on employment in developing economies shows that the predictions of most trade theories that, an increase in globalization would result in more employment in labor abundant countries has not always proven to be true. This study actually examines the employment impact of economic globalization to recipient economies – ECOWAS member states. The analysis has employed a balanced panel dataset of 13 ECOWAS member nations over the period 1990 – 2017. Based on the Fixed Effects estimation approach, the empirical analysis reveals that over the full sample, economic globalization …

Examining Diversity In The Monarch Award, Michele Mcdaniel

Masters Theses

This study explores the 2016 Monarch Award Master List as an educational resource for kindergarten through grade three teachers and librarians. It focuses this exploration by examining how diversity was represented in the text and illustrations of the books in the sample. The Monarch Award is Illinois’ K-3 Kids’ Choice award. Illinois’ children are increasingly diverse, and it is important that they have access to literature that reflects their diversity. The study revealed that diverse characters were portrayed with nuance and respect, but they were still underrepresented on the list. Additionally, diverse characters often had to display extraordinary characteristics to …

Untwining Threads: Second Wave Hmong Parents’ Conceptualizations Of Ways To Support Their Adolescent Children’S Education, Mao Sea Lee

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

This research identifies the support systems for adolescents’ education within the second wave Hmong refugee family setting. The study examines the parents’ perspectives on their own support systems for their adolescents’ education. The work focuses on studying both the instrumental support and psychological care these parents provide their teenage children and interprets why these parents choose to provide these resources. Studying these parents’ ways of supporting their adolescents provided a more in-depth understanding of why these recent refugee parents choose to invest of their resources to their adolescents’ education and, subsequently, what education means to them. The research also brought …

Exploring Hip Hop Pedagogy In The Lives Of Four African American Adolescents, Roland Steele

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to examine how participation in an after-school hip hop pedagogy program influenced the social and academic lives of four African American male adolescents. The researcher viewed this study through the conceptual framework of culturally relevant teaching that incorporated hip hop pedagogy. Hip-hop is currently one of the most popular forms of music and represents the dominant culture of today’s inner-city youth. This study centered on how hip hop pedagogy is being used to educate African American male students.

The study participants consisted of four African American male adolescents who attended an after-school hip …

An Exploration Of First-Year University Students’ Conceptualizations Of Academic Reading: A Multicase Study, Jennifer C. Theriault

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Research indicates that an important tenet of college readiness is the ability to comprehend complex texts and that the transition to postsecondary reading expectations and demands is often difficult for students. Further, students’ perceptions of themselves as academic readers influence their reading habits and practices. More specifically, research exploring undergraduates’ experiences with academic reading suggests that what students think about reading affects their reading choices and expectations. However, literature discussing academic reading has largely come from faculty perspective.

This study examined first-year university students’ conceptualizations of academic reading and perceptions of themselves as academic readers in order to understand how …

Learners’ Perceptions Of Wiillingness To Communicate In Myanmar, Maw Maw Tun

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

Willingness to communicate, defined as “readiness to enter into discourse at a particular time with a specific person or persons using second language” (MacIntyre, 1998), plays a key role in second and foreign language instruction, as greater willingness to communicate (WTC) is believed to facilitate more L2 communication. In a foreign language learning context, classroom WTC is highly influenced by classroom environment factors as well as international posture, which is hypothesized to capture a general attitude to the international community and foreign language learning. Given the importance of willingness to communicate in language learning, this study examines Myanmar EFL learners’ …

Teac 413m: Teaching Multilingual Learners In Content Areas – A Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Lydiah Kananu Kiramba

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The purpose of this benchmark portfolio was to trace the process of designing, teaching and assessing TEAC 413M: Teaching Multilingual Learners in Content Areas, a required course for the B.Ed secondary education major. My objectives for this portfolio are to: a) document the impacts of different instructional strategies employed in TEAC 413M, and to b) reflect on the course success and shortcomings and develop pathways for the future course design and development. A secondary goal was to examine translation of course content into students’ own teaching and planning for their students through a variety of activities and assessments throughout the …

An Exploration Of Student Engagement And Learning Within A Newly Online Version Of Teac 861: Teaching In A Pluralistic Society - A Peer Review Of Teaching Benchmark Portfolio, Amanda R. Morales

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

Given the current racial, economic, and socio-political tensions in K-12 education, the work of teacher preparation arguably has never been more important or difficult. This benchmark portfolio targets a core required course aimed at increased teachers’ cultural competence and equity literacy, 861: Teaching in a Pluralistic Society. In this portfolio, I focus primarily on methods and mechanisms I used to increase student engagement in and critical reflection on a social justice-oriented curriculum in a new online format. I describe the context for the course, my initial anxieties around teaching the course online for the first time, student demographics, my redesigned …

A Covid-19 Informed Benchmark Portfolio Of Teaching For Slpa 988: Dementia, Kristy Weissling

UNL Faculty Course Portfolios

The focus of this peer review of teaching portfolio was SLPA 988: Dementia. The course is offered in the Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders within the College of Education and Human Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This is an elective course at the graduate level which has a primary target of students in the master’s degree program in speech-language pathology. It is an advanced 900 level course and comes after students have completed at least one semester of clinical work with patients. My goal was to better understand how to improve the course as it transitions from …