Digital Commons Network^™

Words And Phrases That Matter: A Corpus Analysis Of Vocabulary And Phraseological Coverage In Myanmar's High School English Textbooks, Kaung Hla Zan

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

"Myanmar’s high school education relies on centralized EFL textbooks as the primary source of English input for a significant population of Myanmar youth. Following curriculum reforms aiming for communicative competence, this study provides a corpus-based evaluation of the lexical and phraseological composition of Grades 10 to 12 (high school) textbooks. Using a multi-list approach, this study profiled the textbooks against the New General Service List (NGSL) and the Academic Vocabulary List (AVL) for vocabulary coverage. To determine the frequency and coverage of academic phrases, the textbooks were profiled against three lists of academic bundles identified by Simpson-Vlach and Ellis (2010), …

The Tones And Frequencies Of A Glockenspiel, Edward Czudak

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

In this thesis, I will analyze the tones and frequencies of a glockenspiel based on the results of Warburton’s 1954 article, “The Vibration Of Rectangular Plates,” [12]. I will be measuring and modeling the frequencies of a glockenspiel and connect them with the analytical and expected numerical solutions. The solutions will be based on the plate equation along with the boundary conditions of a rectangle free on all edges. I will look at the high modes of vibration for the bars and their corresponding overtones in the acoustic spectrum.

Inertial Dynamics Of Non-Spherical Particles In Fluid Flows, Takashi Yashiro

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

We investigate the dynamics of small inertial spherical and non-spherical particles in fluid flows. We consider the Maxey-Riley-Gatignol (MRG) equation, which models well the motion of spherical inertial particles in low Reynolds number flows. To study how shape affects the dynamics, we implement a corrective factor on the Stokes drag term in the MRG equation. This corrective factor, or shape factor, is based on the geometric properties of the particles. The Basset-Boussinesq history term in the MRG equation is often neglected to simplify analytical and computational studies involving the equation. We include this history term and implement a multi-step integration …

Urban Heat Mitigation In Newark, New Jersey Using Remote Sensing And Spatial Analysis, Ama Akowa Rhule

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This study examines urban heat patterns in Newark, New Jersey, using remote sensing and spatial analytics to support targeted mitigation strategies. Land Surface Temperature (LST) was derived from a Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager/Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI/TIRS) scene acquired on July 28, 2025, representing a summer snapshot of surface thermal conditions. While urban heat island effects are typically considered long-term climatic phenomena, this study uses a single-date observation to capture spatial variability in temperature across the city. Land cover variables, including tree canopy and impervious surface fractions, were obtained from the National Land Cover Database (NLCD), and demographic variables, including …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Youth With The Juvenile Justice System, Marion D. Rogers

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative case study examined the lived experiences of African American youth in the juvenile justice system using Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory and Intersectionality Theory as guiding frameworks. Three participants engaged in three rounds of in-depth interviews, and the data were analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding, with findings presented at the within-case and cross-case levels. Results revealed how family dynamics, school exclusion, community survival strategies, and systemic surveillance shaped participants’ pathways through the justice system, while experiences of resilience coexisted with mistrust, invisibility, and ambivalence toward counselors and authority figures. The study highlights the importance of culturally responsive …

Theory Of Mind And Emotion Recognition In Down Syndrome: A Comparative Developmental Trajectory Approach, Stephanie L. Grinshpun

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Delays and impairments in social functioning are common in Down syndrome (DS), creating significant challenges for these individuals as they navigate social environments and relationships. Two fundamental components of social cognition and functioning are Theory of Mind (ToM), comprised of cognitive and affective ToM, and emotion recognition. While previous research has documented broad deficits within ToM and emotion recognition in DS, the current body of work does not provide a comprehensive account of how these two abilities develop, interrelate, or influence social functioning in this population. The current study investigated ToM and emotion recognition in a sample of 24 participants …

Navigating Reentry: A Life Course Inquiry Into The Structural And Personal Dimensions Among Returning Citizens, Julie Chowdhury

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

This qualitative study explores how returning citizens experience incarceration and reentry across the life course, focusing on the interplay of structural conditions, relational contexts, and human agency. Guided by Life Course Theory (LCT), reentry is conceptualized not as a discrete post-release transition but as a developmental process shaped by cumulative disadvantage, institutional stratification, and linked lives. Data were drawn from in-depth semi-structured interviews with formerly incarcerated adults in the northeastern United States and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings show that incarceration and reentry are experienced as relational and multigenerational processes embedded within family systems and constrained opportunity structures, rather …

The Role Of Public Administration And Hrm In Promoting Guardian-Oriented Policing In Michigan, Sara L. Cowling

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

This capstone paper examines how public administrators and human resource management (HRM) practices in Michigan local law enforcement agencies can influence the adoption of a guardian-oriented approach to policing. Using a qualitative case study method and document analysis, this study integrates peer-reviewed literature on guardian and warrior policing models with public administration and HRM frameworks. Findings indicate that due to the centralized structure of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) and standardized academy training, local agencies have limited control over recruit socialization during initial training. Thus, recruitment and hiring practices, specifically recruitment messaging, applicant self-selection, interviewing, organizational fit …

The Prevalence Of Stress Fractures In Relation To Red-S Syndrome Among Various Sports In Collegiate Female Athletes, Lilianna G. Couch, Marilou D. Shreve

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: RED-S is a risk factor for bone stress injuries in female athletes. Athletes that compete in sports that involve repetitive movements of impact are prone to stress injuries. The treatment of stress fractures requires addressing all potential causes of the injury to accelerate healing and prevent reinjury. Since RED-S is a well-established risk factor for stress injuries, early detection of RED-S is crucial to prevent long term negative health consequences in athletes including the development of stress fractures. It is also confirmed that certain sports have a higher prevalence of reported stress fractures in female athletes such as cross …

Where Do We Go: Rethinking Public Libraries, Emma Jouppi

Interior Design Capstones

The purpose of this study is to examine the factors contributing to the decline in public library visits and to identify practical strategies for increasing community engagement with library spaces. Public libraries have long served as accessible, inclusive environments for learning, technology access, and social connection. However, recent years have shown a decline in visitation, raising important questions about public perception, awareness, and accessibility. This research seeks to better understand how these factors intersect and what can be done to strengthen the role of libraries as vital third spaces within their communities.

This study aims to bridge the gap between …

Advertising And Public Relations In A New Aige: Exploring Implications Between Advertising & Public Relations And Generative Artificial Intelligence, Hayden Tucker

Journalism Undergraduate Honors Theses

Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a new tool that is changing the landscape of several industries across the board, forcing practitioners to adapt and navigate a new terrain with this new addition. One industry that is particularly affected by the introduction of AI is the Advertising and Public Relations (ADPR) industry. Under the umbrella of strategic media, the ADPR industry focuses on building relationships with publics through connection, trust, and creativity in hopes of persuading publics to feel one way or another. This thesis focuses on exploring the new relationship between AI and ADPR and understanding the effects that AI …

A Gift For The Emperor DawāʾIr Al-ʿUlūm Wa-Jadāwil Al-Ruqūm, A Mediaeval Graphic Encyclopaedia Of The 19th Century, Juan Acevedo, Inês Bénard Da Costa

Abdou Filali-Ansary Occasional Paper Series

The recent discovery of a 19th-century Arabic manuscript in the Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, initiated a period of intense collaboration between the Museum and the Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, culminating in the 2023–24 exhibition ‘Power of the Word V: Circles of Knowledge.’ The first part of this article describes the manuscript, while the second part looks at its contents, a striking visual encyclopaedia, mostly from Safavid sources, entitled Tuḥfat al-Khāqān: Dawāʾir al-ʿUlūm wa-Jadāwil al-Ruqūm (A Gift for the Emperor: Circles of Sciences and Tables of Numerals). Its sections range from cosmogony and alphanumeric cosmology to geography, geomancy and the …

The Fantasy Of Power An Examination Of Magic In Fantasy Novels As It Relates To Modern Western Political History, Noah Stepp

Theses & ETDs

When examining the genre of Fantasy literature, one can draw a parallel between the political landscape of the author’s time and the conflicts within the fantasy novels that are produced by said author. Using the symbol of magic within these novels, one can understand how the authors of this genre from J.R.R. Tolkien to CS Lewis to Neil Gaiman and JK Rowling perceive the nature of power in a governmental sense. In these novels, these four authors from two very different time periods in the modern era, The World Wars and the end of the Cold War with the beginning …

Knit Of Identity, Caroline Westphalen

Theses & ETDs

Knit of Identity is a creative writing portfolio following the author’s journey as both a writer and as a human. This thesis includes a variety of drafts through the years, annotated and revised to explore the creative writing process. Utilizing a rich catalog of various writing forms and performance-based elements, Knit of Identity provides a messy and unfettered look at how a sea of voices informs the ever-ongoing process of finding one’s own.

Information Aggregation In Decision Markets Under A Modified Hanson Market Maker, Leo Vershel

Behavioral and Computational Economics (MS) Theses

In this paper, we report the results of experiments where subjects participate in a prediction market utilizing the Hanson automated market maker. The key distinction of our environment when compared with previous studies in the prediction market space is in the introduction of a conditional market that allows subjects to make conscious decisions to infuence market outcomes, and thus it investigates the quality of the decisions made by the subjects as opposed to the accuracy of the market prices. Utilizing dispersed “not-state” information, we evaluate whether subjects can accurately infer true states and maximize organizational welfare. Our initial baseline results …

The Bridge, Bridgewater State University

the bridge

No abstract provided.

(De)Composing Transhumanisms: Fungal And Trans Ecologies In Jeff Vandermeer's Annihilation, Miles Nives Qapevewni Enriquez-Morales

English (MA) Theses

This thesis project analyzes the novel Annihilation (2014) by Jeff VanderMeer and situates the biologist’s transformation and transition in the book in a trans ecological framework. By expanding on foundational texts such as Jackson Jesse Nash’s “‘I Am Not Returning Home’: A Transgender Reading of Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation”, this paper argues that representations of fungus in Annihilation present a possibility for trans futurity rooted in transformation, ecological entanglement, and a rejection of binary thought. Additional articles from Transgender Studies Quarterly and A Journal of Lesbian and Gay Studies orient this fungal transformation in the larger framework of rejecting normative …

Himmelfarb Headlines - May/June 2026, The George Washington University, Himmelfarb Health Sciences Library

Himmelfarb Headlines (2009 - present)

News, information, and resources relating to the Himmelfarb Library that is of interest to patrons.

Maps, Links And The Globe: Using Linked Open Data To Improve Functionality In The Digital Humanities, Sunjay Hopkins

Theses & ETDs

No abstract provided.

The Constitutional Future Of Trademark Tarnishment, Jake Linford

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

This Article is the first to examine whether trademark anti-tarnishment laws should be deemed constitutional after the Supreme Court’s 2024 decision in Vidal v. Elster. Anti-tarnishment laws protect famous brands from uses that could damage their reputation, even when consumers are not confused about who makes the tarnishing product.

The Supreme Court recently declared some trademark registration restrictions unconstitutional in Matal v. Tam and Iancu v. Brunetti. In these cases, the Court struck down federal laws that prevented registration of “disparaging” trademarks and “scandalous or immoral” trademarks because they categorized the registration bars as unconstitutional viewpoint-based restrictions. These …

Freedom At The Polls: Guns, Speech, And The Right To Vote, Matthew B. Russett

William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal

Part I of this Note provides a brief overview of current firearm prohibitions at polling locations and examines the legislative justifications for these restrictions. Recently, an increasing number of states have enacted firearm prohibitions as a prophylactic measure against voter intimidation and disruption. Part II applies New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n v. Bruen’s history and tradition test to determine whether these prohibitions pass constitutional muster under the Second Amendment. Indeed, a critical examination of historical voting laws in America shows a compelling history of limiting firearms near polling locations. Part III examines similar themes in First Amendment …

Biopsychosocial Mechanisms And Management Of Pain And Emotional Health In Fibrous Dysplasia/Mccune-Albright Syndrome, Camryn Berry

Doctoral Dissertations

Fibrous Dysplasia (FD) is a rare disease where healthy bone is replaced by lesions of fragile, porous tissue. FD lesions may affect a single bone or occur throughout the entire skeleton and can grow rapidly. A diagnosis of McCune-Albright syndrome (MAS) is made when FD is accompanied by endocrinopathies and skin hyperpigmentation. FD/MAS can cause debilitating complications, including disabilities, deformities, fractures, and chronic pain. Pain is one of the most common symptoms of FD/MAS and can have a profound impact on patients’ quality of life. However, FD/MAS pain is complex and varies substantially between patients. This complexity and a lack …

Black Athens: Organic Intellectuals And The Civil Rights Movement In Boston, 1920–1985, Raymond Dinsmore

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explores the history of Boston’s civil rights movement through the lives,ideas, and accomplishments of its most influential leaders within what this study terms “Black Athens.” Despite Boston’s reputation as a premier global center of intellect and thought leadership, its Black community has rarely received due recognition for its vital contributions to the city—and particularly to its twentieth-century freedom movement. While many historians have examined the political, social, and cultural dimensions of Boston’s freedom struggle and the broader civil rights movement, few have foregrounded its intellectual history. I argue that this omission has produced an incomplete understanding of both …

Permeability And Mechanical Response Of Propped Fractured Rocks Under Varied Fluid Viscosities, Hebatalla A. Ghoneim

Doctoral Dissertations

Hydraulic fracturing relies on proppants to preserve fracture conductivity under reservoir stresses. The long-term performance of propped fractures is influenced by grain crushing, redistribution of fines, pack rearrangement, proppant–rock embedment, and shear deformation. These mechanisms are not fully understood under combined compression and shear stress paths, particularly when viscous carrier fluids interact with fractured rock and proppant packs. This dissertation provides experimental data and device development to characterize proppant and rock behavior relevant to these coupled mechanical and hydraulic processes.Proppant grain-scale strength and pack-scale mechanical response were first examined through uniaxial grain tests, crushing tests, and drained and undrained triaxial …

Who Works From Home, What Is It Worth, And Where Do They Live? Occupational Classification, Work Arrangement Preferences, And Residential Location Choice, Logan Robert Malone

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation examines work-from-home (WFH) arrangements through three complementary lenses: occupational feasibility, worker preferences, and residential location choice. The first chapter develops a continuous tools-based measure of WFH potential using the Department of Labor's O*NET Tools and Technology Supplement, which documents the tools used in each occupation. By categorizing tools according to their consistency with remote work and aggregating to the occupation level, I construct a measure that closely aligns with existing classifications while offering finer-grained distinctions than the binary categorizations common in the literature. The tools-based measure agrees with a widely cited task-based measure for approximately 80% of occupations …

Performance-Based Assessment Of Asphalt Overlay Cracking With Laboratory And Field Data, Meisam Khorshidi

Doctoral Dissertations

Efficient and effective rehabilitation of existing pavements is a continuing priority for transportation agencies seeking to maintain safe, reliable, and cost-effective networks. Asphalt overlays are widely used to restore ride quality and extend service life of both asphalt and concrete pavements; however, their long-term performance is often limited by thermal and reflective cracking. These distresses accelerate moisture infiltration, increase maintenance demand, and shorten overlay life, especially in cold-climate regions. Ensuring that overlay designs adequately account for structural configuration, traffic, climate, subgrade conditions, and mixture-level fracture resistance is therefore critical to avoid premature failure and excessive life-cycle costs.This dissertation advances performance-based …

Assessment Of Correctness, Content Omission, And Risk Of Harm In Large Language Model Responses To Ophthalmology Continuing Medical Education Questions, Jacqueline L. Chen, Amanda J. Lu, Rohan Verma, Li Wang, Douglas D. Koch, Allison J. Chen

SKMC Student Presentations and Publications

PURPOSE: To evaluate the accuracy and prose responses of 2 large language models (LLMs) to ophthalmology continuing medical education questions.

DESIGN: Question prompts and multiple choice (MC) answer options were input into the 2 LLMs, and responses were analyzed for accuracy and assessed for evidence of correctness, completeness, bias, and potential harm using a previously reported standardized rubric.

SUBJECTS: Basic and Clinical Science Course questions and MC answer options from the American Academy of Ophthalmology question bank were used as inputs into the 2 LLMs (ChatGPT-4 and Google Vertex's Gemini Pro 1.5).

METHODS: The MC responses were assessed for accuracy …

Exploring Social Emotional Learning Competencies In Middle School Theatre Education, Katherine J. Mullins

Honors Theses

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a method of education in which students are taught to grow in multifaceted ways. Students learn and grow as more than just students in their respective subjects, they grow in emotional intelligence, empathy, and interpersonal skills as well. SEL is not always easy to incorporate into teaching practices, but it tends to lend itself well to a theatre education setting. In a middle school specific setting, SEL and theatre-based activities yield positive results in student competencies both in and out of the classroom. In this research, through comparative analysis and reflective inquiry, I aim to …

Expanding The Vocabulary Of Staff Notation By Notating The Vocal Instrument, Ryan J. Berry

Honors Theses

The aspects of vocal music performance that are often the most engaging, expressive, and creative cannot be conveyed with the established vocabulary of staff notation. Consequently, discussion of artistic choices is limited to oral or written-word formats that are neither internationally interpretable or widely shared. This research proposes a remedy by creating notation symbols for the larynx, tongue, and formants so the movements of a singer's instrument can be described in staff notation. These symbols, along with the International Phonetic Alphabet, were applied to four performances to highlight specific artistic choices. Additionally, this paper discusses the history of vocal sheet …

Romantasy's Inevitable Lasting Legacy, Devon T. Gibson

Honors Theses

The “romantasy” subgenre of YA literature has become influential for its novel combination of romance and fantasy as well as its popularity on Booktok, the book-based subsection of the popular social media app, Tiktok. This connection has become somewhat infamous in popular culture and has been underresearched due to how recently both concepts became significant forces within the publishing industry. This thesis argues that romantasy is a novel and lasting YA subgenre that is not dependent on Booktok to maintain it. The analysis of Sarah J. Maas’ A Court of Thorns and Roses (2015) and Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing (2023) …