Digital Commons Network^™

Crude Oil Production And Nigeria’S Reliance On Foreign Refineries: Implications For Trade Dependencies And Energy Security In Foreign Policy, Tomiloba Olaniyi-Quadri

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This study investigates the paradox of Nigeria’s position as a major oil-producing nation that remains heavily dependent on imported refined petroleum. The central purpose of the research is to examine how governance failures, including policy misalignment, corruption, and regulatory inefficiencies, contribute to the persistent underperformance of Nigeria’s refineries, reinforcing trade dependencies and energy insecurity. Using a qualitative comparative case study approach, this research analyzes Nigeria alongside Brazil and Venezuela to explore how different governance frameworks shape refinery efficiency and international trade dynamics. The study is grounded in Dependency Theory and Energy Security Theory, illustrating how internal governance deficiencies perpetuate economic …

A Transcendental Phenomenological Study Of Cognitive Overload In Manufacturing Engineers During Online Training In An Industrial Environment, Sarah J. May

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to explore experiences of cognitive overload among engineers in manufacturing during digital training in industrial environments. Engineers in manufacturing manage substantial physical and cognitive demands in order to maintain safe and efficient industrial environments. In addition to these responsibilities, engineers are often expected to engage in digital training within active work settings, frequently without physical or cognitive separation from job-related tasks. A qualitative research design was employed, with data collected from 10 participants and analyzed through triangulation and thematic coding. Data collection methods included a qualitative questionnaire, individual interviews, and a letter-writing …

The Exploration Of Parental Involvement On Student Academic Achievement From The Perspective Of The Educator: A Phenomenological Study, Kwame Vladamir Hennagan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of educators regarding parental involvement in a rural South Carolina school district. Guided by Vygotsky's Sociocultural Theory and Epstein's Parental Involvement Theory frameworks, the study examined how teachers perceive, promote, and experience parental engagement, and what barriers influence effective collaboration between school and home. The Central Research Question answered in the study is: What are the lived experiences of educators with students with low parental involvement at a local school district in South Carolina? The methodology of this manuscript begins with the phenomenological research design.The sample size included …

Understanding The Lived Experiences Of Black Male Students’ Use Of Integrated Educational Technologies In Stem Fields At Predominately White Institutions: A Phenomenological Study, Devon Morgan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the lived experiences of Black male students' use of integrated educational technologies in STEM fields at predominately White institutions of higher education in East Tennessee. The theory guiding this study is Piaget's (1950) theory on constructivism, as it is the framework through which active learning, prior knowledge, and social influences shape students' learning. The central research question addressed in the study is how Black male students experience the use of integrated educational technologies in STEM fields at PWIs of higher education in East Tennessee. The transcendental phenomenological approach is used …

Investigating Nursing Instructors’ Perceptions Of Students’ Critical Thinking And Clinical Judgment After Attending A Flipped Pathophysiology Course, Ashley L. Harmon

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand an instructor’s ability to develop critical thinking and clinical judgment for pathophysiology nursing students at a state university in the southeastern United States while using the flipped pedagogical approach. The theory guiding this study was Piaget’s constructivist theory, which aligned with the active role of learners in constructing knowledge, and supported the exploration of how flipped classrooms influenced the development of critical thinking and clinical judgment. The central research question for this study was: What are nursing instructors’ perceptions of students' development of critical thinking and clinical judgment when applying pathophysiology …

A Multimethod Study Of The Barriers Of Women In The General Schedule 15 Grade And Senior Executive Staff Experience In Promotion At The Department Of Veterans Affairs, Terry Michael Acie

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this research study was to discover why the female executive employee population is experiencing a gap in representation in senior management at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The scholarly literature addressing federal disparities across the gender demographic identified several issues such as underrepresentation, social equity, pay equity, turnover intention, job satisfaction, and diversity as primary barrier drivers preventing or slowing female promotion. The issues are rarely investigated in an intersecting manner which plausibly could create several hurdles women must navigate to obtain a promotion and decrease their representation in executive service. The theoretical approach used is …

Student Anxiety And Lassitude In A Foreign Language Learning Classroom: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study, Mcgraham Anyanwu

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem is that university students studying French in Nigerian schools as a foreign language experience anxiety because of communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study is to explore how university students studying French as a foreign language describe experiences of anxiety and lassitude with French language learning at University Alpha in Nigeria. The central research question guiding this study is: How do university students studying French in Nigeria describe their experiences of anxiety and lassitude in a foreign language learning classroom? The theory guiding this study is Krashen’s theory …

Examining The Effect Of Enhanced Retrieval Practice With Or Without Artificial Intelligence On Task Value And Self-Efficacy Of College Students: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Duane N. Stutzman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to determine if a significant difference exists in college students perceived task value and self-efficacy when using different forms of retrieval practice enhanced with or without artificial intelligence. This study is important because task value and self-efficacy may have an impact on student motivation and engagement; therefore, the study adds to the literature demonstrating that retrieval practice can help improve active, rather than passive learning. The sample was composed of 140 undergraduate students enrolled in a hybrid health science course at a large university in the Midwest. After participants completed their assigned …

Navigating Fear: Exploring The Influence Of Media And Other Factors On Perceptions Of Terrorism, Malachi-Chaim A. Robinson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This dissertation examined factors influencing the fear of terrorism among U.S. adults in the post-9/11 context, where frequent media coverage impacts public perception. The central research question asked: To what extent is the fear of terrorism influenced by news consumption, ethnic intolerance, religion, gender, education, race and ethnicity, political affiliation, age, previous victimization of violent crime, and trust in government institutions? A quantitative, cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2025 using Zoho Survey, collecting 408 responses through stratified random sampling to approximate national representation. Chi-square tests revealed significant bivariate relationships for nine predictors: perceived credibility of terrorism-related news, perceived risk of …

The Schizophrenia Effect: Families Facing Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders, Ginger A. Christmas

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Schizophrenia is primarily known for its bizarre psychosis, as the brain struggles to distinguish between what is real and what is not. This qualitative study employed constructive, interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) to explore the idea that families with a family member diagnosed with a schizophrenia-spectrum disorder (SSD) in the United States have specific needs, which may include social and spiritual support and integration into treatment. While the needs of families facing SSD have been studied in non-Western countries, the schizophrenia effect on families in the U.S. remains less understood. A purposive sample of 11 individuals, representing 15 family members with …

Human Resources Changed In The Automotive Manufacturing Company During The Covid-19 Pandemic Era, Jessica Letese Karim

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant upheaval across global industries, particularly impacting the automotive sector. I investigated the evolution of human resources (HR) practices within an automotive manufacturing firm located in Grand Rapids, Michigan, during the pandemic. I delved into crucial shifts in workforce management, such as the swift transition to remote work, heightened emphasis on employee health and safety, and the adaptation of hiring, recruitment, and training methods. The analysis underscores how HR department employees and leaders transformed to maintain business continuity while prioritizing employee welfare and operational effectiveness. Using a semistructured interview method, I gathered insights from 17 volunteer …

Predicting Income Satisfaction From Artists’ Annual Income And Collegiate Embedded Entrepreneurial Knowledge And Skills, Joy Albert Quarmout

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, predictive correlational study was to determine how accurately income satisfaction could be predicted from a linear combination of annual income and inclusion of entrepreneurial knowledge and skills curricula in liberal arts education programs among public college graduates within the past ten years. A purposive sample of 87 graduates was drawn from universities with established art programs who graduated one to ten years ago. The planned behavior theory formed the logic model that guided the thought process, attitude, and reasoning behind this study. The research instrument, The Strategic National Arts Alumni Project: Survey Questionnaire, served as …

A Phenomenological Study Of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Combat Deployed Women Combat Veterans, Caren Valencia Chen

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to delineate factors that impact women combat veterans with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) after deployment and completion of military service. The theory guiding this was Strauss and Corbin’s grounded theory. The conceptual framework guiding the study was Crenshaw's intersectionality theory. C-PTSD is often diagnosed with service members throughout their time in the military, and after their time in the military is complete. The central research question, “What are the lived experiences of women combat veterans diagnosed with C-PTSD?” was addressed through interviews with focus groups. The sub-questions to analyze direct correlation issues …

Multiple Persistent Nodular Lesions In An Infant: Diagnosing Disseminated Juvenile Xanthogranuloma, Kourtney Kelly

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

No abstract provided.

Human Problems: It’S Not Always The Technology’S Fault, Kevin Frazier, Brian L. Frye, Michael Goodyear, Jess Miers

Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Clinical Trial Success Rate In Lymphoma: Fate Of Trials And Agents From 2000 To 2019, Zhiping Luo, Meng Li, Brian C Primeaux, Rahul Shah, Ruitao Lin, Swaminathan P Iyer, Loretta J Nastoupil, Michael R Green, Jason R Westin, Christopher R Flowers, Dai Chihara

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although previous studies have examined the drug development and clinical trial success rates in oncology, a comprehensive analysis of development success rate in lymphoma has not been performed. Therefore, we analyzed lymphoma trials initiated between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2019, using the Trialtrove database and ClinicalTrials.gov. We identified phase 1, 2, and 3 trials that included patients with lymphoma and analyzed the transition rate of investigational agents across phases and their US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval rates to assess the efficiency and success of the clinical development process. A total of 1032 phase 1 trials and …

Do We Think Globally? A New Journal, 75 Years In The Making, Nicholas David Bowman

Media Studies - All Scholarship

In an editorial ending their tenure as editor of Critical Studies in Media Communication, Steiner (2007) warned of the scourge of journal proliferation, invoking a concern that increasingly, these new journals mostly benefit individual careers and publishing house profits. Meanwhile the “just-planted crop [of manuscripts] is generally bringing diminishing returns to the field” (p. 384) because we are publishing far more than we can read, evaluate, ­integrate, and engage. Steiner is hardly alone in her critique. Others call out the invisible labor of editorial stewardship, showing for example how inefficient systems not only exploit scholars (Chalmers & Solomon, …

Endometriosis Knowledge Among Emergency Medicine Providers: Diagnostic Skills And Symptom Recognition, Caidon Iwuagwu, Laurel X. Chen, Ellen Slattery, Pranjal Srivastava, Hamsitha Karra, Sheyenne Tung, Adrienne Burton, Camila Bomtempo, Jamie Aranda

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Objective: Endometriosis is associated with significant diagnostic delays, averaging 6.7 years, largely due to nonspecific symptoms and inadequate diagnostic approaches. Over 15,000 emergency department (ED) visits in the United States annually involve patients with endometriosis, highlighting the need for knowledge of endometriosis. This study surveys emergency medicine (EM) attendings, residents, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and fellows to assess knowledge and practice in managing endometriosis-related ED complaints. Methods: A questionnaire from a prior endometriosis survey was modified for EM providers and administered anonymously via email (Qualtrics, Provo, UT) in monthly newsletters to providers at an academic and six associated community EDs. …

International Consensus-Driven Recommendations For Patient-Reported Outcome Research Objectives In Early Phase Dose-Finding Oncology Trials: Optimise-Ror, Emily Alger, Olalekan Lee Aiyegbusi, Amylou C Dueck, Anna Minchom, Madeline Pe, John D Peipert, Claire Snyder, Stefan N Symeonides, Roger Wilson, Ethan Basch, Yu Qiao, Susan E Bates, Helen Bulbeck, Lizzie Dean, Massimo Di Maio, Aaron R Hansen, Olga Kholmanskikh, Ken Kobayashi, Dónal Landers, Christophe Le Tourneau, J Jack Lee, Brigette B Y Ma, Lynley V Marshall, Sheetal Patel, Joan Petrie, Gregory R Pond, Kieran Prior, Khadija R Rantell, John F Reeve, Olga Solovyeva, Nolan A Wages, Harald A Weber, Melanie J Calvert, Christina Yap

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Purpose: There is growing scientific interest in incorporating patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in early phase dose-finding oncology trials (DFOTs) to assess tolerability, inform dose selection, and guide later stage trial design. However, research indicates that PRO objectives in DFOTs are often unclear. The Incorporating Patient-Reported Outcomes in Dose-Finding Trials-Research Objectives Recommendations (OPTIMISE-ROR) project was established to support trialists to effectively incorporate PROs into DFOTs.

Methods: Using the Enhancing Quality and Transparency of Health Research (EQUATOR) Network's methodological framework, guideline development included the following: (1) a methodological review of published DFOTs incorporating PROs; (2) candidate item generation, refined through expert consultation; (3) …

Spartan Daily, March 10, 2026, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily, 2026

Volume 166, Issue 20

Understanding The Impact Of Job Satisfaction Among Public Sector Employees: An Analysis Of The U.S. Federal Government, Ardelia Deneen Speed-Johnson

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study examined the relationship between job satisfaction and Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene factors among public sector employees. Herzberg’s two-factor theory provides the foundation for exploring how motivation factors (achievement/meaningful work, recognition, advancement/career growth) and hygiene factors (job security, salary/pay satisfaction, supervision) were independent variables to job satisfaction outcomes, while controlling for agency and gender. The researcher used secondary data obtained from the FY 2022 US Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey (FEVS), which includes responses from 2,522 actively employed OPM federal employees. Job satisfaction was operationalized using FEVS and recoded into a binary variable (satisfied …

Training The Church To Support Sufferers Of Mental Illness Through Comfort Clinics, Jonathan D. Blankenship

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The problem at Laurel Baptist Church (LBC) is the lack of trained members who are equipped to support those suffering from mental illness. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to create Comfort Clinics, a structured program to train members to support sufferers of mental illness. Normative-sized churches are often uninformed on the topic of mental illness. Subsequently, in those environments, stigmas are nurtured, sufferers feel unseen, and church members lack the necessary training to provide the comfort and support that mental sufferers need. Building on the ecclesiastical call to “comfort those who are in any affliction” (2 …

2026-03-10 University Graduate Committee - Minor Curriculum Proposal - M.A. In Counseling, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Minor curriculum change proposal for M.A. in Counseling: School Counseling Concentration as submitted to the University Graduate Committee on February 4, 2026 and approved on March 10, 2026.

2026-03-10 University Graduate Committee - Course Proposal For Soc 631, Morehead State University. Faculty Senate., University Graduate Committee.

Faculty Senate Records

Course proposal for SOC 631 Health Structures and Behavior submitted to the University Graduate Committee on February 6, 2026 and approved on March 10, 2026.

Nascar's Transformation From Regional Pastime To National Spectacle, 1990 To 2004, Brett James

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

NASCAR, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, experienced a rapid rise in popularity during the 1990s and early 2000s. Although the sport originated in the postwar southeastern United States and initially drew a largely regional fan base, by the late-1990s it enjoyed a national following and expanded its race schedule across the country. During this period, NASCAR underwent significant changes that affected nearly every aspect of the sport, including its drivers, manufacturers, and the format determining the season champion. Led by the France family, the sport’s owners since its inception in 1948, the industry pursued these changes in …

The Suite Sixteen: A Hermeneutical Phenomenological Exploration Of Underfunded Student Services & Programs At 1890 Hbcu Land-Grant Institutions, Eloise Andrews-Lott

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of college students at 1890 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) land-grant institutions, and how the lack of funding from the Second Morrill Act is impacting the student support services on these campuses. A novel theoretical framework by combining Jeffrey Pfeffer and Gerald R. Salancik’s theory of resource dependence coupled with Derrick Bell’s critical race theory was used in guiding the study to bring validity to the assumptions and ideas of the lived experiences of the participants. This research contributes to the field of education as it …

The Perspectives Of Mental Health Providers Concerning Public Personnel Management And Staffing Shortages In The Navy: A Qualitative Multiple-Case Study, Shauna L. Turner

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The federal government's public personnel management policies, established over a century ago, may now be ineffective in addressing twenty-first-century problems. The Navy faces an unprecedented global staffing shortage in the mental health career field. To address the problem, the Navy implemented human resource strategies to improve personnel quality of life and invested in improving service members' mental health. The problem is that the Navy’s existing personnel management policies may be ineffective at retaining clinical counselors at Fleet and Family Support Centers (FFSCs), contributing to persistent staffing shortages that undermine service delivery and warrant an evaluation of alternative retention strategies. This …

The Impact Of Covid-19 On Women Caregivers Of The Sandwich Generation, Keri L. Burns

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe female members of the sandwich generation’s experiences as care providers during and post-COVID-19 in Central Florida. At this research stage, female members of the sandwich generation are understood as women in midlife who occupy dual caregiving roles for dependent children and aging parents, and whose lived experiences offer insight into caregiving experiences during a global pandemic. (Steiner & Fletcher, 2017). As life expectancy has increased and financial insecurity has been a concern for all generations, the sandwich generation caregivers, specifically women, have become more focused on providing varying levels of care …

A Phenomenology Of Sexual Assaults On College Campuses, Karon R. Williams

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The rate of sexual assaults for women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals on college campuses is reported at a higher rate compared to males and is continuing to rise at a staggering rate, causing this to become a national issue. The purpose of this phenomenological study is to understand the subjective experience, campus culture, psychological disorders, and changes in students' religious beliefs after a sexual assault. Victims’ perceptions and campus norms reporting sexual violence and assault incidents help to explain institutional support systems, the afterlife, and long-term outcomes of victims, prevention programs, and services. The frameworks for this …

The Lived Experiences Of Higher Education Leaders Participating In Leadership Training Programs: A Hermeneutic Phenomenology Study, Rashida Dunn

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to interpret the experiences of higher education leaders who participated in cohort leadership development training programs in the United States. The theory guiding this study was Mezirow’s transformative learning theory as it was used to explore higher education leaders’ lived experiences of leaders participating in a cohort training program. Transformative learning theory posits concepts by comparing and connecting them to individuals understanding existing principles. The central research question was what are the lived experiences of higher education leaders participating in leadership training programs. The qualitative hermeneutic phenomenology research introduced by van Manen …