Digital Commons Network^™

Del Norte: A Collection Of Short Stories Y El Corrido De Dani, Jesus Alfredo Reyna

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Del Norte is the title name given to this first series of vignettes and short stories. The narratives are divided into four parts including a one act play that attempt to bridge the gap between the idea of a homeland as well as the Mexican American identity through the eyes of a migrant family and its major narrator. Unlike derivative associations with the term Del Norte in other academic disciplines, my interpretation of being from “Del Norte” is manifested into stories about a homeland omnipresent in the familial relationships described in my stories. The narratives exist within this paradigm. The …

The Monopoly Myth And Other Tales About The Superiority Of Lawyers, Leslie C. Levin

Fordham Law Review

No abstract provided.

Defining Patent Quality, Christi J. Guerrini

Fordham Law Review

    Depending on whom you ask, the state of U.S. patent quality is either dismal or decent, in decline or on the upswing, in need of intervention or best left alone. Absent from the ongoing debate about the quality of U.S. patents, however, is much thoughtful discussion about what constitutes a patent’ “quality” in the first place. What features of a patent make it “good” in quality, what features make it “bad” in quality, and whose opinion matters? Surprisingly, scholars and policymakers have shown little interest in these questions. Yet their answers are critical to the direction of the patent agenda …

Is ‘How’M I Doin’?’ A Universal Question? Unpackaging Cultural Differences In Feedback Seeking, Rana Gaby Moukarzel

Theses and Dissertations

The feedback literature is based on the premise that given a favorable context and a drive to reduce uncertainties, all individuals should seek self-relevant performance information. However, this framework has only been empirically examined using Western samples and has failed to consider the influence of the broader context, with the exclusion of Sully de Luque and Sommer’s (2000) cultural framework. The purpose of this project was to integrate extant culture theory into the feedback seeking literature for a more comprehensive framework, and a more global understanding of cultural contingencies surrounding the feedback seeking process. Findings revealed the universality of feedback …

The Effect Of Group Level Factors On Affective Convergence In Teams: An Agent Based Model, Chaunette Marie Small

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research supports the idea that affective convergence occurs in teams. The phenomenon of group affect has been well documented, however the group level conditions through which affective convergence emerges has received very little research. The current study helps to fill this gap by using agent-based modeling to examine affective convergence under varying group conditions. Agent-based modeling is a recently developed approach to research that uses the power of computers to model individual level behaviors and examine group level emergent constructs. The current study examined display rule presence, display rule breadth, social influence, interdependence, and team size on affective convergence. …

Beyond Satisfaction: Understanding And Promoting The Instructor-Librarian Relationship, Margaret Bausman, Sarah Laleman Ward, John Pell

Publications and Research

This article reports upon the assessment and research activities undertaken by a research group of faculty librarians at Hunter College regarding the perceptions, awareness, and usage of library services by non-librarian faculty members. Given the initial directive to measure faculty satisfaction with library services, the research group developed an ongoing action-research protocol to pursue more meaningful assessments of faculty awareness and use of library services and resources. The researchers employed both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, gathering data through informal information groups with faculty members and through an online survey measuring faculty awareness of library resources and services (Faculty Awareness of …

Family-Friendly Las Vegas: An Analysis Of Time And Space, Diana Tracy Cohen

Occasional Papers

This paper explores the rise and fall of the “family-friendly” Las Vegas marketing era. Through analysis of casino advertisements, internal and external building infrastructure, and qualitative in-depth interviews with industry insiders, this work investigates the city’s reinvention of the early 1990s. Key factors that set the stage for the emergence of targeted family marketing are identified, addressing why this advertising approach ultimately did not sustain. Unique marketing case studies are identified throughout.

Sex For Survival: Intimacy In Nazi Concentration Camps And Its Post-Liberation Affect On Survivors, Gabrielle Hauth

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Determining The Best Career Ladder For Nurse Practitioners In Louisiana By Examining Occupational Mobility, Gina K. Wilson

Honors Capstones

No abstract provided.

Genetic Modification And Food Irradiation: Are Those Strictly On A Need-To-Know Basis?, Lars Noah

Penn State Law Review (2003 - Present)

No abstract provided.

Banging Heads - Media Portrayals Of Injuries In Professional Football Before And After The Death Of Mike Webster, Alexander Moe

All Theses

This study addresses the influence of a trigger event on mainstream news coverage of injuries in professional football. In 2002, four-time Super Bowl winner and NFL Hall of Famer Mike 'Iron Mike' Webster passed away due to what is known today as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a condition that develops in the brain after multiple impacts. It has been confirmed that Webster sustained CTE from his 17-year NFL career, although medical evidence at the time of his death did not exist, and his passing was instead attributed to heart failure. This is an empirical analysis of how the trigger event …

Self-Reported Health: Cross-Regional Differences In The United States, 2010, Dongqi He

All Theses

Although self-reported health surveys are used widely by governments, hospitals and companies, there has been little cross-regional investigation of the reliability of these self-reported inventories. I demonstrate the distribution of the self-reported health rate and some factors that may affect the distribution using a National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) sample that focuses on respondent aged between 50 and 85 in year 2010. Then I examine the relationship between self-reported health and real health by constructing disability weights and find that respondents' self-reported health is generally consistent with their real health status, except for west region, suggesting that more future works …

Representations Of Rebellion: Slavery In Jamaica, 1823-1831, Paul Brown

All Theses

This thesis examines slavery in Jamaica between 1824 and 1831, primarily through the lens of rebellion and rebellious conspiracy. This study is largely based on legal documents, namely the criminal trials of slaves produced after the discovery of conspiracy plots to rebel in 1824 and the outbreak of a large-scale slave insurrection in 1831. While previous historians have provided rich analyses of the origins and causes of slave rebellions, this study attempts to disentangle the various representations and ideas of rebellion among slaves and slaveholders in Jamaica, and their larger implications for slavery in the British West Indies. I suggest …

The Perceptions Of Increased Student Loan Debt On The College Choice And Enrollment Of Rural Low-Income Students, Chinasa Ordu

All Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of the college choice experience of rural low-income students and how their potential use of student loans influenced their college choice decisions. In order to conduct this research study, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were used as the primary data source. Additional data sources included demographic surveys, a site visit, online resources, and meeting with key informants. The primary research question used to guide this study included: * How do rural, low-income students describe their experiences with their college choice process? The following secondary questions included in this study were: * …

Lottery Tuition Assistance As A Predictor Of Retention At A Public Two-Year College, Joel Darby Welch

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between unmet financial need, lottery tuition assistance and retention. This study considered whether unmet financial need served as a predictor of retention and how the addition of lottery tuition assistance (LTA) to a financial aid package reduced unmet financial need. Retention was defined as a student who started in Fall, 2008 and returned in Fall, 2009.The two-year college, Greenville Technical College, considered in this study was a mid-size, public, two-year college in the southeastern United States.

A secondary data sources was used in the study of first time students taking …

Assessing Awareness Of The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act Of 2008 (Gina) Among Nurse Practitioners, Mary Steck

All Dissertations

Genetic advancements during the latter part of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century have presented individuals, the medical community, and legislators at state and federal levels, with numerous genetic discrimination predicaments. Oncology nurses need to be knowledgeable about GINA (The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008) and its applications to clinical practice. GINA is the first federal law passed to protect United States' citizens with inherited disorders from being treated unfairly due to their genetic make-up. Understanding the legislation known as GINA, including how it modifies existing federal laws governing health insurance coverage and employment discrimination, …

A Computational Model Of Memetic Evolution: Optimizing Collective Intelligence, Noah Welsh

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to create an adaptive agent based simulation modeling the processes of creative collaboration. This model aided in the development of a new evolutionary based framework through which education scholars, academics, and professionals in all disciplines and industries can work to optimize their collective ability to find creative solutions to complex problems. The basic premise follows that the process of idea exchange, parallels the role sexual reproduction in biological evolution and is essential to society's collective ability to solve complex problems. The study outlined a set of assumptions used to develop a new theory of …

May 2014 Commencement Program, Bowling Green State University

Commencement Programs

No abstract provided.

Comm-Entary, Spring 2014 - Full Issue

Comm-entary

In this issue:

Ideologies of a Gravescape by Sonja Loeser

Skepticism as Rhetorical Strategy in Scientific Argument by Leigh Fraser

The Homogenization of National Identity: A Study of Reggaeton by Ricky Wilson

Coffee as a Religion by Olivia Mullen

Metrospirituality by Kelley Ray

Environmental Protest Framing as “Ecoterrorism” by Brieanne Young

Are We Fake? The Internet Masks We So Boldly Adorn by Emily Varnese

Data Mining: The Invasion of the Personal Right to Privacy in the Digital Age by Lauren Nawfel

Apple: The Forbidden Fruit of Cult & Capitalism by Max Post

Foreigners as “Other”: Stereotyping and Categorizing in Everyday …

Social Activism With Extra Sauce: How Food Communication Increases Political Awareness In Social Media, Amy Demello

Honors Theses - Providence Campus

This project explores the combination of social media and food communication and challenges the prevailing belief that food on social media is trivial, frivolous, and unmeaning. This paper will explain why social media, as well as food communication, are both influential and powerful tools for activism. To prove this, I analyze Twitter posts through Storify. Ultimately, I draw conclusions about the influence of food in activism on social media. The lack of and restrictions on data available are discussed as examples of how valuable and crucial this information is, ultimately displaying that social media is not as democratic as currently …

Conceptions Of Justice: A Sampling Of Student Perspectives, Matt Landon

HIM 1990-2015

Although the literature in the field of criminal justice and philosophy is full of ideas of what constitutes "justice," little to nothing has been done to see where the average individual's opinion falls in relation to these ideas. This paper analyzes a cross-sectional convenience sample of students at UCF to determine their preference of six models of justice: utilitarianism, contractarianism, fairness, retributivism, moralism, and libertarianism. Correlating demographic factors are also discussed.

Positive Outcomes Of Divorce: A Multi-Method Study On The Effects Of Parental Divorce On Children, Grant Mohi

HIM 1990-2015

A great deal of the existing literature on parental divorce focuses on the negative influences it has on children and young adults in regards to such areas as their relationships (romantic and familial) and their academic standing. The implications of such research are that parental divorce will always bring harm to families and, consequentially, should be avoided for the sake of the children's wellbeing. What is often missing from this research is a focus on the potential positive outcomes of parental divorce. The intent of this thesis is to explore the effects of parental divorce on young adults' ability to …

Choosing Mates Who Look Like Ourselves, Alyse Gruber

HIM 1990-2015

Some research suggests that the reason men and women choose mates who are physically similar to them, is because though they may be genetically similar (given the physical characteristics), the fact that there is no kinship allows for genetic stability. Some researchers believe this is a product of evolutionary forces, therefore allowing possible mates to find those whom they would see as compatible and fertile. Researchers have found that as children we imprint our parent’s facial features, which helps develop the normal facial recognition later. With this knowledge it is suggested that we subconsciously use our parent’s facial imprint as …

That's So Ghetto: A Study Of The Racial/Socioeconomic Implications Associated With The Term "Ghetto", Shaun Richardson

HIM 1990-2015

The term "ghetto" has an ambiguous meaning in American society. The term frequently has been used as either a noun or an adjective. As a noun the term "ghetto" is often used to describe a place - Small describes the ghetto as a: "…a particular type of neighborhood; it exhibits a cohesive set of characteristics, such as deteriorating housing, crime, depopulation, and social isolation…"(2008: 78.) This description as a noun is indicative of unsavory social conditions and climate that fosters an unproductive populace. As an adjective the term remains more difficult to solidly define. The bulk of available research often …

Just Eat It: An Examination Of The Sociological Factors That Influence The Eating Habits Of College Students, Alexandra Minnick

HIM 1990-2015

Young adults 18-25 years of age in the United States are experiencing a new world as they transition to young adulthood in college. The purpose of this investigation is to examine the eating behaviors of the young college population. The present study will examine the kinds of foods college students eat and how they make decisions regarding food consumption. The methodology of the present study consists of a quantitative survey, which includes questions about gender, living arrangements, convenience, and student eating habits. The sample size is comprised of 228 students at the University of Central Florida. A regression model is …

Zero Tolerance For Some: The Role Of Race In Zero Tolerance Exclusionary Discipline, Meghan Bejarano

HIM 1990-2015

Within the last few decades, zero tolerance policies and exclusionary discipline have become the standard way in which schools manage student behavior. These policies, namely suspension and expulsion have been shown to have negative impacts on the lives of students who are punished with them. Educationally, the removal of students from the classroom hurts their chances of achieving academic success. Furthermore, these policies have been linked with an increase in the presence of law enforcement on school campuses, which results in the arrest of students, burdening them with expensive and serious legal battles. This research examines whether nonwhite students are …

Queering The Abcs: Lgbtq Characters In Children’S Books, Lindsay A. Toman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Over the past 30 years, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) groups have called for children’s books to include LGBTQ characters and themes to help children understand our multifaceted social world. Few LGBTQ characters have appeared in children’s literature. This qualitative study analyzes the text and images of 29 children’s books published between 1972 and 2013 that have any LGBTQ characters. Books featuring lesbian and gay characters often presented them as conforming to heteronormative standards to find fulfillment. The majority of books with gender-deviant characters focused on boys harassed by other characters for their conventionally feminine behaviors. Surprisingly few …

The Impact Of World Bank’S Conditionality-Ownership Hybrid On Forest Management In Cameroon: Policy Hybridity In International Dependence Development, Asongayi Venard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Many developing countries depend on the World Bank for development assistance, which the Bank often provides with policy reform conditions. Resistance to World Bank’s conditionality caused the Bank to posit “ownership” as a country’s real assent to its development policies. The combination of ownership and conditionality invalidates the neocolonial, false-paradigm and dualism theses in explaining the international dependence development model. This study explains this model by investigating how the relationship between conditionality and ownership in the context of this model impacts forest management in Cameroon.

Integrating theoretical and methodological insights mainly from political science, economics, geosciences, and sociology, the study …

The Idea Of ‘Holy Islamic Empire’ As A Catalyst To Muslims’ Response To The Second Crusade, Emeel S. Lamey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The oral traditions in the Islamic world presented only the moral benefits of Jihad. Yet, the fact is that, though the moral benefits continued to exist before and after the First Crusade, though the interest seemed to have been present and the necessary intellectual theories continued on, Muslims did not advance the practical Jihad. Nonetheless, the disastrous Second Crusade struck a powerful chord among Muslims. It forced Muslims to battle for their very survival, and to do so they would have to adapt, but equally they could only survive by drawing on their imperial inheritance built up over centuries. A …

Butch, Femme, Or Neither? What Owning These Identities Means, Joey F. Cooter

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite an increased awareness of the diversity of gender identities, butch and femme roles continue to be viewed as lesbian stereotypes that reinforce rather than challenge heteronormativity. This study explores how self-identified butch and femme lesbian women define themselves and how their identities influence their sexual/romantic relationships. Interviews were conducted with 20 lesbians who identified as butch, femme, or neither to learn what these identities meant to them. While the interviewees saw their identities as unique, a number of similarities emerged. This thesis analyzes the themes of conflict with a gender binary model, stereotypes of butch and femme, replication of …