Digital Commons Network^™

Stories Of Strength, Struggle, And Unchecked Boxes: An Intersectional And Mestiza Consciousness Study Of Testimonios From Latina College Students, Stephanie Pinel

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

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Latina college students remain the fastest-growing student population within the United States higher education system. However, when discussing the Latina identity, monolithic assumptions remain at the forefront. When faced with systems of oppression, Latinas experience intersectional struggles that ultimately render their college experiences invisible. Using the theoretical frameworks of Mestiza Consciousness (Anzaldúa, 2021) and Intersectionality (Crenshaw, 1989) this testimonio-qualitative study explored how Latina college students made sense of their racial/ethnic identity and the intersectional forces that then shaped their testimonios of strength and struggle within higher education. I interviewed eleven Latina-identifying students utilizing a testimonio method and analyzed the data …

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Beyond The Book: Charting New Progressions Through Improvisational Experience In Higher Education Jazz Performance Programs, Jacob L. Manny

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

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Jazz improvisation is a historically rich and culturally relevant art form that is also an underutilized pedagogy in higher education music performance programs (HEMPPs). Previous research has extensively unmasked the relationship of creative, social, and cognitive benefits of improvisational learning. Yet, postsecondary institutions continually rely upon Western European colonialist practices through the isolation of music history, music theory, piano, and compositioncourses. This disconnect results in curricular designs that fail to recognize the importance of experiential learning. In this qualitative inquiry semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten participants who perform and educate globally. Participant stories unearthed not …

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Assessing The Mentorship Role In Neonatal Outcomes, Patricia Juhline Brunner

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

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The complex environment of neonatal intensive care requires a skilled, engaged nursing workforce to maintain high‑quality outcomes. Structured mentorship is an evidence‑based strategy shown to enhance professional engagement and support improved clinical outcomes. This Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project aimed to evaluate the impact of a structured clinical mentorship program on evidence‑based practice beliefs, nurse engagement, and selected neonatal outcomes in a Level III academic intensive care nursery.

Guided by the Donabedian model, the project evaluated structure through mentorship design and preparation, process through mentor–mentee interactions and workflow integration, and outcomes through nursing and patient metrics. Lewin’s change …

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Say Gay: Increasing Preservice Teacher Confidence Using Participatory Theatre, Sarah Maxime Hyson

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

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Research Design: Research shows a lack of LGBTQ+ instruction in teacher preparation programs. This social justice mixed methods study evaluates effectiveness of participatory theatre for increasing confidence in preservice teachers. Research Questions: RQ 1: How does student self-rating of confidence change after participatory theatre experiences that examine issues concerning LGBTQ+ individuals and materials? RQ 2: What do preservice teachers’ writing, sketching, and discussion about their participatory theatre experience reveal about their evolving confidence regarding LGBTQ+ individuals and issues? RQ 3: What do the instructor’s experiences and reflections reveal about the effectiveness ofparticipatory theatre pedagogy to increase confidence in preservice teachers …

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Real-Time Isolated Asl Recognition: Evaluating Spatial-Temporal Networks And Multimodal Llms, Raga Mouni Batchu

West Chester University Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Final Projects

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This thesis investigates the deployment of high-accuracy Isolated ASL Recognition (ISLR) in resource-constrained edge environments. We train a lightweight Spatio-Temporal Attention Network (SSTAN,∼2.7 M parameters,∼10 MB) on the WLASL-100 benchmark, achieving 75.25% Top-1 and 88.24% Top-5 accuracy with 139 ms CPU-only inference. A systematic comparison against frontier multimodal LLMs (Gemini 3 Flash, Gemini 3.1 Pro, Qwen 3 VL) shows SSTAN outperforms the best LLM baseline by∼1.85×in accuracy while being 22–230×faster and up to 40×cheaper annually. The LLMs’ core limitation is a lack of fine-grained temporal perception; they impose English-language semantic priors rather than learning the articulatory distinctions that define ASL …

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Global Inventory Of Fluoropolymer Production Plants And Their Associated Pfas Environmental Contamination, Anna J. Miller, Kevin Kleemann, Juliane Glüge, Rainer Lohmann, Ian T. Cousins, Dorte Herzke, Mark F. Miller, Amanda Rensmo, Xenia Trier, Zhanyun Wang, Martin Scheringer

Graduate School of Oceanography Faculty Publications

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Fluoropolymers are widely used across sectors, but their production is associated with emissions of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), which are mobile, persistent, and toxic. In this work, we compiled a global inventory of fluoropolymer production plants (FPPs) and assembled PFAS concentration measurements for various media in their vicinity. We identified 52 currently operating FPPs across 11 countries and 41 cities. For 12 FPPs, in 12 different cities, there are peer-reviewed site-specific PFAS measurements specifically attributed to the FPP. At these 12 sites, at least 236 individual PFASs have been detected across multiple environmental media, including surface water, groundwater, air, …

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Finding Aid For The Mississippi Politics Collection (Mum00316)

Archives & Special Collections: Finding Aids (alphabetical)

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Artificially created collection on individual Mississippi politicians and the state’s politics in general.

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Designing Contract Modification, Albert H. Choi, George G. Triantis

Articles

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For long-term commercial contracts, modification tends to be the norm rather than the exception. While modification often takes place in response to an arrival of new information, contracting parties frequently modify the terms in response to a shift in bargaining power. In this Article, we explain how the flexibility to renegotiate in response to a shift in bargaining power can facilitate long-term contracting and thereby beneficial reliance investments and risk allocation. The prospect of modification can induce contracting parties who expect their bargaining power to improve, such as from the emergence of outside opportunities, to enter into contracts earlier and …

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Polysemicolon; Novice Programmers And Java Keywords, Briana C. Bettin

Michigan Tech Publications

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Most industrial programming languages leverage the English language for reserved keywords – words which a program compiler recognizes as specific execution commands. The divide between expert and novice programmers showcases an intriguing middle-ground by which the polysemy of many keywords becomes revealed. This essay explores a sampling of the multitude of keyword interpretations that a novice programmer may derive from the Java language’s syntactic style and keywords specifically, and how the polysemy of both “English” and “code” meanings to these terms affects the novice-expert programmer transition.The transition from novice to expert, and the mapping of the career of metaphor to …

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Preserving A Liturgical Identity: The Liturgical And Musical Heritage Of Roman Catholic Apostolic Women Religious In The United States Of America, Andrew G. Jennings

Doctor of Pastoral Music Projects and Theses

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This thesis examines the liturgical and musical heritage of Roman Catholic apostolic women religious in the United States and argues that their contributions represent a significant yet understudied dimension of American Catholic life. As many communities face declining numbers, the preservation of their liturgical and musical traditions becomes increasingly urgent. Using an interdisciplinary methodology that combines historical research, liturgical theology, pneumatology, phenomenology, narrative inquiry, and qualitative interviews, the study explores how women religious have shaped and preserved communal identity through liturgy, music, and apostolic ministry.

The research traces the historical development of apostolic women religious from their emergence in the …

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2025-2026 Library & Learning Annual Review, Library & Learning, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Library & Learning Annual Reviews

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Digital version of the 2025-2026 Annual Review for Library & Learning at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

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Shadow And Sunshine, Eliza Suggs

Heritage Material

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No abstract provided.

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Enhancing Tray Integrity: A Quality Improvement Project To Reduce Central Sterile Processing Defects, Ashley Conn

DNP Projects

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Background: Instrument tray defects contribute to surgical delays, workflow disruptions, rework in sterile processing, inefficient instrument utilization, and patient safety risks.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to reduce orthopedic instrument tray defects through targeted education and standardized tray audits with double-check verification in a large academic medical center.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was utilized to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Tray errors were captured using a standardized binary indicator. Staff satisfaction and confidence surveys were measured using Likert-scale surveys.

Results: Orthopedic trays were analyzed before (n=1,017) and after (n=941) implementation. Post-implementation, tray errors decreased …

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Advancing Rural Health Equity Through Systematic Sdoh Screening- A Quality Improvement Initiative, Laura C. Combs

DNP Projects

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Background: Social determinants of health (SDoH) significantly affect health outcomes and healthcare utilization, particularly in rural communities. In 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mandated SDoH screenings in the inpatient setting, with recommendation to implement in rural clinics without specifying a standardized tool, resulting in inconsistent identification of needs, e.g., food insecurity, housing instability, mental health concerns, financial strain, and transportation barriers.

Purpose: This quality improvement initiative implemented a standardized SDoH screening tool in a rural outpatient clinic to evaluate changes in referral rates to community-based resources pre- and post-implementation and to improve patient reporting of social needs. …

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The Concrete Picket Fence: Reconnecting Interstate-Straddled Urban Communities, Brian J. Koluch

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

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Within the ongoing dialogue on substantive equity, the circumstances regarding enduring issues faced by black urban neighborhoods are called into question. Cities across the United States typically have major automotive arteries that tend to cut through or past said neighborhoods. Advocates argue that it is increasingly apparent that these systems of infrastructure especially in regard to these neighborhoods have been constructed in racist manners. Urban Interstates majorly contribute to equity disadvantages, as well as environmental hazards such as increased rates of asthma and respiratory disease. By mixing and matching various forms of equitable infrastructure, such as with cap parks, public …

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Factors Influencing Senior Practicum Readiness For Nursing Practice: A Descriptive Correlational Study, Beth Nease Phd, Dnp, Rn, Ne-Bc, Cynthia F. Corbett Phd, Rn, Faan, Stephanie Armstrong Phd, Msn, Rn, Kesheng Wang Phd, Ma, Bs, Kathy Casey, Kong Chen

Faculty Publications

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Background:

This study investigated the influence of belongingness, self-efficacy, and clinical learning support on readiness for nursing practice and explored the role of demographic factors and nursing program differences.

Method:

A quantitative, descriptive approach was used to explore undergraduate prelicensure senior nursing students' perceptions across the United States.

Results:

Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression demonstrated students in traditional Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs reported significantly higher scores across all domains compared with those in associate degree programs (p < .01). Similarly, students in programs with ≤400 clinical hours and those assigned only one preceptor scored significantly higher on all measures (p < .01 and p < .05, respectively). Regression analysis indicated self-efficacy and learning support explained 47.9% of the variance in practice readiness (p < .05).

Conclusion:

These findings share how clinical experiences shape students' readiness for nursing practice. Recommendations …

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Stop The Work Stoppages: A Mixed-Mode Dispute Resolution Process To Prevent An Nba Lockout Or Strike, Kyle Cohen

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

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The note argues that the NBA and NBPA should incorporate a mixed-mode dispute resolution clause—specifically a "neg-med-arb" (negotiation-mediation-arbitration) process—into future collective bargaining agreements (CBAs). By transitioning from negotiation to mediation and finally to binding arbitration, the league can ensure a successor agreement is reached in time to prevent lockouts or strikes that disrupt the season.

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Teacher Awareness, Perspectives, And Implication Of Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (Cr-S): Exploring And Describing Education Decision-Making For English Language Learners (Ells), Dilrabo Dina Kenkes

Selected Full Text Dissertations, 2011-

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With more immigrant students in American classrooms, it is more important than ever to use culturally responsive teaching. Even after years of policy changes, English Language Learners (ELLs) are still placed in special education programs at higher rates than expected. This quantitative study examines how teachers’ understanding and use of New York State’s Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Education (CR-S) framework affect their decisions when referring ELL students for special education evaluation. Many educators struggle to distinguish between language-learning challenges and real learning disabilities. This frequently happens because they are not fully aware of cultural differences or do not use culturally responsive teaching …

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Dancing On The Edge Of Copyright: Why Copyright Law Should Protect Short Dance Routines, Tianai Song

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

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The note argues that the Copyright Act should be amended to extend legal protection to short dance routines, regardless of their complexity or duration. This expansion aims to prevent the unauthorized appropriation of distinctive movements and ensure that creators, particularly those from Black and marginalized communities, are fairly recognized and compensated.

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Educators' Uses Of Social Capital In K-12 Book Challenges, Danielle E. Sachdeva, Sue C. Kimmel

STEMPS Faculty Publications

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In this case study, we apply understandings of social capital informed by Pierre Bourdieu and Nan Lin to analyze how seven educators used their capital to navigate book censorship incidents in K-12 public schools. Our findings indicate that participants often used social capital to meet expressive goals, such as seeking support from others, and less often to meet instrumental goals like advocating for policies and legislation in support of students’ intellectual freedom. These findings have implications for practitioners, school administrators, and university faculty, especially now as an unprecedented number of books is being challenged in public institutions throughout the U.S.

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Chatgpt In Secondary English Language Learning: Educators' And Students' Literacy, Perceptions, And Experiences, Victoria Brenes, Sierra Outerbridge, Xinyue Ren

STEMPS Faculty Publications

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The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) has shown the potential of transforming teaching and learning practices in various educational settings, such as in English language learning (ELL). As English language learners (ELLs) often experience many challenges and barriers in schools in the United States, it is urgent to leverage the educational affordances of GenAI in fostering the effectiveness of ELL. Given the limited research investigating GenAI adoption, especially ChatGPT literacy within K-12 ELL, this convergent mixed methods research aims to investigate students' and teachers’ perceptions of using ChatGPT and their ChatGPT literacy in secondary ELL contexts. We will …

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Riverrun 2026, Saint Mary's College Of California

Riverrun Literary Magazine

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No abstract provided.

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Act Thompson Garden Project: Proposal And Accessibility Recommendations, Craig A. Condella, María Barragan, Olivia Costa, Kate Markowski, Sophiabella Nebroski

ENV 334 Environmental Justice

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As a community oriented environmental justice project, the authors researched community gardens in school settings to make recommendations regarding the building of a community/school garden at Thompson Middle School in Newport, RI.

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Not On My Zoning Board: Achieving Mass Transit Development Despite Nimby Pushback, Brian J. Koluch

Pell Scholars and Senior Theses

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Within the political discussion on local, state, and federal levels, all politicians seem to agree that U.S. Interstates are a crucial lifeline for many. Conjointly, city planners and scholars understand that we have a logistics issue in cities that can’t seem to handle highway congestion. When prompted with mass transit solutions, some community members protest them for altering the neighborhood in a presumably negative way, leading to the phrase; “Not in my back yard.” Thus, local governing bodies seem paralyzed to take the actions needed to move forward with these implementation strategies. Local governments, in order to circumvent the socially …

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“Good Don’T Listen”: Application Of Situational Crisis Communication Theory To Online Cancelation, Teresa R. Sacchinelli

ENG 490 Senior Seminar Capstone

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The cancel culture movement forces organizations to learn how to address a new kind of online crisis. Corporations use Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) to alleviate the reputational threat from an ongoing crisis. This study examines SCCT potential application in addressing cancelation through analysis of pop star The Weeknd’s response to backlash regarding his HBO show The Idol (2023). Findings revealed use of SCCT strategies in The Weeknd’s tweets, interviews, and press conference during the cancelation, but failure to follow theory guidelines, resulting in an ineffective reputation recouperation. Thus, the study finds possible application of the theory for cancelation if …

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Secondhand Books Industry Between Extinction And Challenges Of The New Millennium: Insights Urban And Architectural Considerations From Al-Azbakeya Book Market., Ahmed M. Selim, Heba M. Gaber, Nehal M. Elmahdy

Mansoura Engineering Journal

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At the beginning of the 21st century, the printed and secondhand book industry has faced enormous challenges, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, when book consumers sought to engage directly with e-books. The Azbakeya Book Market in Egypt is one of the markets that confronts this challenge, while maintaining its distinctive historical character. This study aims to rehabilitate the secondhand book market in Al-Azbakeya district as a model that simulates the potential urban and sustainable architectural design strategies for reviving this industry. The study framework was comprised into four sections. First, "desk-based research" was conducted to discuss the secondhand book industry …

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Intelligent Audio‑To‑Indian Sign‑Language And Sign‑To‑Audio Translation System Using Mediapipe, Tensorflow, Whisper And Google Tts, N. Pothanna, T. Kusuma, S. Haindavi, T. Sreeja, Shaik Shaheem Taj

Mansoura Engineering Journal

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Communication barriers between the Deaf community and the general public remain a persistent challenge, particularly in multilingual settings where Indian Sign Language (ISL) is the primary mode of interaction. We propose a real-time bidirectional translation framework integrating MediaPipe for hand landmark extraction, a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) classifier built with TensorFlow/Keras for gesture recognition, OpenAI Whisper for robust multilingual speech-to-text transcription, and Google TTS for naturalistic speech synthesis. The system achieves 93% classification accuracy across 35 ISL classes (alphabets A–Z and numerals 1–9) on a dataset of 42,700 images, with macro and weighted F1-scores of 0.93. Deployed as a Flask …

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Disproportionality: The Impact Identifying Students For Special Education, John M. Bradford

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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This thesis focuses on the topic of disproportionality as it relates to the special education population. Disproportionality is an area of interest for this researcher, who wanted to explore and learn more about disproportionality, the true numbers behind it, the consequences of overrepresentation, and the consequences of our current system for addressing it. Some populations of students have been seemingly overidentified for special education, and current thinking suggests that these services may have negative consequences for the groups that are overidentified. Disproportionality data were reexamined, along with the concept of whether proportional representation in special education should be expected. Additionally, …

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Creativity, Innovation And Patronage: A Catalog Of Rockingham Designs At The Victoria And Albert Museum, Stella Koslowski

MA in Fine and Decorative Art and Design Dissertations

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This dissertation catalogs a portion of the Rockingham design book recently acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum, which comprises over six hundred designs of Biscuit Painting Patterns and China Tea and Dessert Patterns. This research aims to broaden the understanding and appreciation of the pottery, as well as establish the significance of innovation and experimentation in early English porcelain designs. Each catalog entry includes high quality images of the designs as well as comparative analysis with objects made by Rockingham and other factories around the world, bringing further richness to the understanding of the designs.

The dissertation is grounded …

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A Quantitative Analysis Of Burrowing And Subterranean Locomotion In The Sand Lance Using A Transparent Sediment, Issei Fujita, Makoto Tomiyasu, Jun Yamamoto, Yasuzumi Fujimori

Journal of Marine Science and Technology–Taiwan

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Sand lances (Ammodytes spp.) rely on rapid burrowing into sediment for predator avoidance. Although their sediment grain-size preferences are well documented, the biomechanics underlying burrowing success remain unclear because natural substrates are opaque. Using a transparent-sediment system, we directly visualized and quantified burrowing kinematics to: (1) test the effect of body size (total length, TL) on burrowing success; (2) examine entry mechanisms (e.g., swimming speed, entry angle); and (3) describe locomotion within sediment. Logistic regression on the full dataset (N = 28 fish) identified TL as the primary determinant of success, with larger individuals exhibiting significantly higher success …

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