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All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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Articles 121 - 150 of 675

Full-Text Articles in English Language and Literature

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Technology Effectiveness In High School, Heather L. Gianfagna Dec 2014

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Technology Effectiveness In High School, Heather L. Gianfagna

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The purpose of this study was to examine high school teachers’ perceptions of technology in the classroom, including technology access, usage, and effectiveness. This study was conducted by administering a survey to high school teachers, Grades 9 through 12, in Indiana. The survey, entitled Teachers’ Perceptions of Technology Effectiveness in High Schools was used with high school teachers’ to determine their perceptions of technology access, usage, and effectiveness in classrooms. A total of 343 teachers submitted complete responses to the Teachers’ Perceptions of Technology Effectiveness in High Schools. I developed a survey to quantitatively measure the perceptions of teachers on …

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“Aho! All My Relations:” Native Identity And Its Relationship To Psychological Well-Being, Jamie Ramsey Dec 2014

“Aho! All My Relations:” Native Identity And Its Relationship To Psychological Well-Being, Jamie Ramsey

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This is the first known study to examine the relationship between Native identity and psychological well-being, which is defined by Ryff in positive psychology as existential strengths. It is also the first known study to investigate the relationship between Native identity and blood quantum through quantitative measures. Overall, 199 Natives from two American Indian Centers, three Indiana powwows, and online from Facebook participated by completing the Ryff’s Scales of Psychological Well-being, Phinney’s Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure, and demographic information. The main hypothesis was to explore whether any of the psychological well-being subscales (positive relations, autonomy, mastery of environment, self-acceptance, personal …

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Investigating Transformational Leadership And Return On Equity Outcomes In Small And Medium-Sized Community Banks, Jason C. Dean Dec 2014

Investigating Transformational Leadership And Return On Equity Outcomes In Small And Medium-Sized Community Banks, Jason C. Dean

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The focus of this investigation is small financial institutions based in the United States and insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Without a viable market for community banks individual and small business investors and borrowers, particularly in rural areas, will have less financing options and may be forced to accept the terms dictated by larger financial institutions (Walser & Anderlik, 2004). Additionally, within the literature there is minimal empirical evidence informing community banks of appropriate initiatives that may be implemented to unleash human expertise through training and development interventions related to successful leadership styles. As competition in the …

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Engineer Manual 385 Effectiveness: A Study Of Predictive Analytics, Scott Arias Dec 2014

Engineer Manual 385 Effectiveness: A Study Of Predictive Analytics, Scott Arias

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Under the guidance of the United States Army Corps of Engineering Manual 385 (EM 385), the federal government has taken a stringent stance on construction safety. Using the mandated Occupational Safety and Health regulations and the 29 Code of Federal Regulation as a safety foundation, the EM 385 requires project-specific planning, continuous oversight and direct control of all safety activities. These mandates, required of every Department of Defense entity, focus on safety management not found within other federal agencies, in an attempt to reduce the number and severity of mishaps. This study looks for causation between the use of the …

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Polysubstance Use Patterns And Psychosocial Functioning Among Participants In The Electronic Dance Music Scene, Danielle D. Alfrey Dec 2014

Polysubstance Use Patterns And Psychosocial Functioning Among Participants In The Electronic Dance Music Scene, Danielle D. Alfrey

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Electronic dance music (EDM) events are strongly associated with polydrug use, or the use of several substances at one time (Fernandez-Calderon et al., 2011), which has contributed to overall negative stereotypes of the EDM scene. Nitrous oxide use has been documented in EDM research, but mainly in qualitative designs (Hunt, Evans, Moloney, and Bailey, 2009). Qualitative research suggested participants pair nitrous oxide inhalation with use of ecstasy, or MDMA, for feeling an enhanced effect. This EDM study examined nitrous oxide use using a quantitative design and investigated how polysubstance use was related to positive and negative consequences of involvement in …

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Impact Of Corporate Sustainability Behavior On Financial Performance In Aerospace Companies, Petulia Blake Oct 2014

Impact Of Corporate Sustainability Behavior On Financial Performance In Aerospace Companies, Petulia Blake

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Sustainability is increasingly becoming an integral part of how organizations communicate their business operation to stakeholders. As it is common knowledge that organizations are more inclined to invest in programs that contribute to their bottom-line, this study presents an analysis of the relationship between corporate sustainability behaviors and their impact on financial performance. The sample size was 40 United States (U.S.) aerospace companies, selected from the “Top 100 Aerospace Companies” world-wide in a report produced by Candesic consulting firm in 2012. Of the 40 U.S. companies, 21 were found to provide some form of sustainability report. Quantitative and qualitative instruments …

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A Comparison Of Teacher Perceptions Of Principal Leadership Actions In Highly Effective Schools As Measured By The Audit Of Principal Effectiveness, Michael Stephens Sep 2014

A Comparison Of Teacher Perceptions Of Principal Leadership Actions In Highly Effective Schools As Measured By The Audit Of Principal Effectiveness, Michael Stephens

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The role of the principal has never been as multi-faceted or as scrutinized as it is in today’s schools. Principals are looked to for leadership and guidance in the processes, communications, relationships, instructions, and curriculum of today’s schools. Marzano (2013) listed 21 responsibilities of the principal of today. Principals of today wear many hats and are looked to have knowledge and skills beyond the scope of leaders in many other professions. The purpose of the quantitative study was to examine the perceptions of the teachers in Indiana high schools pertaining to their principal’s level of effectiveness as measured by the …

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An Exploratory Study Of Factors Affecting Retention Rates Of Freshmen In The College Of Technology At Indiana State University, Bhargavi Vemulapalli Aug 2014

An Exploratory Study Of Factors Affecting Retention Rates Of Freshmen In The College Of Technology At Indiana State University, Bhargavi Vemulapalli

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This study explored the factors affecting the retention rates of freshman students in the College of Technology (COT) at Indiana State University. Literature supports that factors such as age, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and parental education are valid variables affecting the retention rates of freshman student populations across the United States. Also included in the list of valid retention variables are pre-college factors including high school curriculum, SAT/ACT scores, and high school GPA. Environmental factors such as living in dorms or being a commuter student, working on campus or off campus, and number of hours working per week are also …

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“The Moment I Came In It Got Much Easier . . . I Should Come Here More”: Student Experiences At Three Midwestern Lgbt Resource Centers, Burr Dyral Hartman Ii Aug 2014

“The Moment I Came In It Got Much Easier . . . I Should Come Here More”: Student Experiences At Three Midwestern Lgbt Resource Centers, Burr Dyral Hartman Ii

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Although LGBT resource centers have been fixtures on college and university campuses for more than 40 years, there is only limited research about these resource centers. To date no empirical evidence exists that supports the impact of LGBT resource centers in the experiences of undergraduate students who make use of these centers. This qualitative study examines the role LGBT resource centers play in the experiences of LGBT students at three Midwestern universities. The qualitative research methods employed for the study were case study and ethnography. Using semi-structured interview data and field observations, five major themes surfaced: (a) perceptions of campus …

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Parental Involvement And Its Relationship To A Child’S Educational Success, Abbigail Suzanne Oliver Aug 2014

Parental Involvement And Its Relationship To A Child’S Educational Success, Abbigail Suzanne Oliver

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There were three primary purposes of this study. One purpose of the study was to increase the understanding and awareness of parental involvement with regard to their children’s education. The second purpose of the study was to analyze two schools’ poverty levels in regard to their students’ academic goals. Last, the study was to analyze and understand parental involvement in regard to the academic goals parents have for their children. Demographic data regarding two schools’ level of poverty were collected from the Indiana Department of Education. The study was to add more information to the existing data in regard to …

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Educator Perceptions Of The Importance Of Using Strategies For At-Risk Students In Indiana Elementary Schools, Teresa Gremaux Aug 2014

Educator Perceptions Of The Importance Of Using Strategies For At-Risk Students In Indiana Elementary Schools, Teresa Gremaux

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The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if there are significant differences in perceptions regarding the importance of strategies/programs for at-risk students according to employment position, geographic location, and percentage of free- and reduced-lunch population within the school. This study also examined alternative education strategies/programming currently being implemented in Indiana elementary schools. This study had a concentrated focus on a specific population of at-risk students. Is there a significant difference on the perceived importance of at-risk strategies and programming for elementary students based on employment position? Is there a significant difference on the perceived importance of at-risk strategies …

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A Qualitative Study Of Stakeholders‘ Beliefs About The Elements Of Teacher Induction Programs Most Effective In Increasing Teacher Competence, Lynn Pretorius Simmers Aug 2014

A Qualitative Study Of Stakeholders‘ Beliefs About The Elements Of Teacher Induction Programs Most Effective In Increasing Teacher Competence, Lynn Pretorius Simmers

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The ultimate purpose of any school is the success and achievement of its students‖ (Wong, 2004a, p. 41). As studies confirm ―teacher and teaching quality [as one of] the most powerful predictors of student success‖ (Wong, 2004a, p. 41) in an educational setting, research about the experiences of beginning teachers and teacher induction programs continues to emerge. Consequently, as induction programs continue to grow and change to meet the various needs of beginning teachers across our nation, efforts to determine if desired results are being achieved must be considered. Therefore, the beliefs and perceptions of various stakeholders concerning the elements …

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A New Mmpi-2 Measure Of Psychopathy: An Empirical Approach, Erin M. Greene Aug 2014

A New Mmpi-2 Measure Of Psychopathy: An Empirical Approach, Erin M. Greene

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The purpose of the current study was to develop a new scale on the MMPI-2 to identify individuals with global psychopathy, as measured by the PCL-R. The study consisted of four smaller studies, including 1) derivation of the scale 2) cross-validation 3) external validation, 4) factor analysis. The derivation sample consisted of male prison inmates (N = 170) and a second sample of male prison inmates (N = 126) was utilized for cross-validation. A third sample of male and female college students (N = 308) was utilized for the purpose of correlating the developed scale with existing measures of personality …

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Variables That Affect Graduation In A Community College, Cathy Jean Alsman Aug 2014

Variables That Affect Graduation In A Community College, Cathy Jean Alsman

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This study examined whether the use of variables—age, sex, remediation, and financial aid— could be used to predict persistence to graduation in a community college sample. The study also asked if these same variables could be used to predict number of semesters completed in this sample. Archival data were gathered from a community college with multiple campuses and a single state-wide accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Logistic regression, ordinary least squares regression, and Pearson r correlation were used to analyze data. Results suggested overall model significance in the logistic regression …

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The Lived Career Experiences Of Professional Academic Advisors Who Went On To Earn Doctoral Degrees In Higher Education Administration, Alison K. Rynearson Aug 2014

The Lived Career Experiences Of Professional Academic Advisors Who Went On To Earn Doctoral Degrees In Higher Education Administration, Alison K. Rynearson

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The purpose of this study is to examine the lived career experiences of professional academic advisors who went on to earn a doctoral degree in higher education administration. When undergraduate students consider various majors, they often wonder “What can I do with a major in this area? What are my career options?” Such is the case with professional academic advisors who are considering a doctoral degree in higher education administration. Because of a lack of literature, advisors considering the doctoral option may seek out or may be referred to others like them who have accomplished this goal. A connection with …

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Acoustic Communication In The Temperate Treefrogs Pseudacris Crucifer And Acris Crepitans, John Keating Aug 2014

Acoustic Communication In The Temperate Treefrogs Pseudacris Crucifer And Acris Crepitans, John Keating

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Spring peepers and cricket frogs produce advertisement calls to attract females. As ectotherms their body temperatures are greatly affected by ambient air temperature. Some characteristics of their advertisement calls are correlated with temperature. I analyzed advertisement calls of both species recorded in western-central Indiana. I compared call characteristic correlations with temperature found in our populations to those in populations in other geographic areas and found similar trends throughout the range of both species. Secondly, I examined aggressive calls in the spring peepers. Aggressive calls are used in male-male interactions, and in the spring peeper are a distinct call type different …

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Evaluation Of The Gnpv Method For Decision-Making In Non-Conventional Projects, Ningning Song Aug 2014

Evaluation Of The Gnpv Method For Decision-Making In Non-Conventional Projects, Ningning Song

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Engineering economic analysis techniques are used to evaluate projects and make appropriate decision in capital budgeting. Conventional projects can be solved by the traditional methods such as the net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR) methods. These methods may not work in evaluating non-conventional projects. Kulakov and Kulakova (2012) have presented the generalized net present value (GNPV) method for such projects. They have illustrated the method with three examples: a project of 2-year life with multiple IRRs, a project of 2-year life without IRR, and a project of 3-year life with a unique real-valued IRR which is …

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The Effects Of Reflective Prompts On Attention In Restorative And Non-Restorative Environments, Ryan Dumke Aug 2014

The Effects Of Reflective Prompts On Attention In Restorative And Non-Restorative Environments, Ryan Dumke

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Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995) posits that the prolonged use of directed attention results in directed attention fatigue and that exposure to environments with restorative properties leads to increased attentional capacities. Despite a great deal of evidence illustrating this effect, there has been little research into the specific mechanisms accounting for this effect, and no research examining what is occurring in the mind during the restorative process. Most researchers have operated on the assumption that the relaxation of directed attention faculties accounts for the effect of attention restoration, with little evidence to completely support this assumption. However, conflicting evidence suggests …

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The Effects Of Instructional Schedule Type On Student Achievement, Attendance, And Graduation At The High School Level, Andrew S. Freeman Aug 2014

The Effects Of Instructional Schedule Type On Student Achievement, Attendance, And Graduation At The High School Level, Andrew S. Freeman

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The primary purpose of this quantitative study was to analyze the effects of instructional scheduling type on student achievement and school outcomes. This study specifically analyzed the differences between traditional schedules and block schedules on the six dependent variables of Algebra I End-of-Course Assessment scores, English 10 End-of-Course Assessment scores, Biology I End-of-Course Assessment scores, attendance rates, graduation rates, and college and career readiness rates and controlling for socioeconomic status, school size, and average years of experience of faculty. Data from all Indiana public high schools from the 2012-2013 school year were obtained from the Indiana Department of Education. A …

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Students’ Perceptions Toward Using Jusur: A Web-Based Learning Management System For Higher Education In Saudi Arabia, Sameer M. Alnajdi Aug 2014

Students’ Perceptions Toward Using Jusur: A Web-Based Learning Management System For Higher Education In Saudi Arabia, Sameer M. Alnajdi

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This purpose of this study was to investigate students’ perceptions and the role of their gender, level of experience, and interaction between gender and level of experience toward using a web-based learning management system, Jusur, in the Saudi universities. A questionnaire was sent through the National Center of E-Learning and Distance Education, NCEL, to students who used Jusur though the second semester of the academic year 2013-2014. A total of 132 students participated in this study. The findings showed students had positive perceptions toward using Jusur, and there were no significant differences between men and women in their perceptions. First-time …

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Finding The Correct Fit Or Quickly Finding An Exit For School Superintendents: Perceptions From Those Who Placed Them Or Are Commissioned To Replace Them, David Andrew Hoffert Aug 2014

Finding The Correct Fit Or Quickly Finding An Exit For School Superintendents: Perceptions From Those Who Placed Them Or Are Commissioned To Replace Them, David Andrew Hoffert

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The purpose of this study was to gain an essence and understanding of the phenomenon of short superintendency tenure through the qualitative lenses of superintendent search agents. Research questions included the roles of educational preparation, leadership qualities, and contextual factors in superintendent tenure. Superintendent search agents matching the criteria boundaries of working for an agency with at least 10 years of search experience and also the firm’s non-profit status were chosen for this research work. These criteria were used to reduce bias due to financial reward and lack of institutional or association experience. Two semi-structured interviews were conducted with superintendent …

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Acoustic Communication In The Temperate Treefrogs Pseudacris Crucifer And Acris Crepitans, John Keating Aug 2014

Acoustic Communication In The Temperate Treefrogs Pseudacris Crucifer And Acris Crepitans, John Keating

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Spring peepers and cricket frogs produce advertisement calls to attract females. As ectotherms their body temperatures are greatly affected by ambient air temperature. Some characteristics of their advertisement calls are correlated with temperature. I analyzed advertisement calls of both species recorded in western-central Indiana. I compared call characteristic correlations with temperature found in our populations to those in populations in other geographic areas and found similar trends throughout the range of both species. Secondly, I examined aggressive calls in the spring peepers. Aggressive calls are used in male-male interactions, and in the spring peeper are a distinct call type different …

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Literacy Narratives Of African-American Community College Students: Implications For Curriculum Alignment, Instructional Design, And Entry-Level Assessment, Roderick S. Brown Aug 2014

Literacy Narratives Of African-American Community College Students: Implications For Curriculum Alignment, Instructional Design, And Entry-Level Assessment, Roderick S. Brown

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This study investigated potential causes of developmental English placement among recent African-American high school graduates enrolled at a community college. Participants were four men and five women from lower- and lower-middle economic backgrounds who had completed an entry-level writing assessment prior to enrollment. An electronic survey was administered to all participants and included questions about literacy experiences in elementary, middle, and high school. Using an ethnographic approach to thematic narrative analysis, the author compared the literacy narratives of students who had tested into college-level composition with those who had tested into developmental English. Results indicated that participants who had tested …

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A Hermeneutic Exploration Of And Proposed Solution To The Schism Between Researchers And Clinicians In Psychology, Mark S. Green Aug 2014

A Hermeneutic Exploration Of And Proposed Solution To The Schism Between Researchers And Clinicians In Psychology, Mark S. Green

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Fragmentation in the field of psychology has persisted throughout its history (Slife, 2000). One example of this fragmentation is the gap between researchers and clinicians (Teachman, Drabick, Hershenberg, Vivian, & Wolfe 2012). Although many attempts have been made to bridge this gap, there is still no consensus regarding its resolution. This dissertation provides an explanation for the gap at the philosophical level and provides a method for communicating across potentially incommensurable philosophies, based on Gadamer’s (1960/1989) hermeneutic opus: Truth and Method.

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A Comparative Study Of The Impact Of Project Delivery Methods Used On Public Highway-Rail Intersection Projects In New York State, Osileke Odusanya Osipitan Aug 2014

A Comparative Study Of The Impact Of Project Delivery Methods Used On Public Highway-Rail Intersection Projects In New York State, Osileke Odusanya Osipitan

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The improvement of infrastructure by a public agency is to ensure satisfaction of the general public using such infrastructure, based on available funds. In order to implement and sustain the public good, an efficient project delivery method or the assessment of existing project delivery methods used to develop such infrastructure is necessary. Project delivery method is a process that defines the relationship between parties involved in a specific project. Any of the methods could affect a project budget, schedule, quality and the involvement of the project owner. This study investigated the impact of project delivery methods used by different type/class …

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Alternative Ways To Enumerate Data On Race In Puerto Rico: Are Racial Segregation And Spatial Clustering More Evident When Using A Culturally Grounded Methodology?, Reuben Allen Aug 2014

Alternative Ways To Enumerate Data On Race In Puerto Rico: Are Racial Segregation And Spatial Clustering More Evident When Using A Culturally Grounded Methodology?, Reuben Allen

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Nationalist discourse concerning race in Puerto Rico generally states that residents are of the same racially mixed heritage—a combination of Spanish, West African, and indigenous ancestry of various degrees. However, literature and casual observations suggest that the population is characterized by greater variation in physical appearances than what is posited by “admixture” discourse. Moreover, and further complicating the understanding of race, 2010 U.S. Census data show that over 75 percent of Puerto Ricans self-identified as “White, alone”, and that only 3.3 percent of respondents indicated “Two or More Races.” Researchers, employers, and governmental agencies attempting to address or further analyze …

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Effects Of The Interaction Of Religion And Internalized Homonegativity On Psychological Well-Being, Ashleigh C. Young Aug 2014

Effects Of The Interaction Of Religion And Internalized Homonegativity On Psychological Well-Being, Ashleigh C. Young

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The goal of the current research is to contribute to knowledge regarding the ways in which religion impacts the mental health of lesbian women and gay men. A body of existing literature shows support for religion as a means of bolstering psychological well-being. However, there is a dearth of research on the unique ways in which religious sexual minority individuals may be differentially affected by religion, considering the presence of heterosexist beliefs and norms in many mainline Western religions. The current research explores the effects of the interaction between religion and internalized homonegativity on psychological well-being. Possible relationships between religious …

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Development Of An Optimal Lean Six Sigma Model, James Taylor Aug 2014

Development Of An Optimal Lean Six Sigma Model, James Taylor

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Lean six sigma is a hybrid continuous improvement methodology that is not standardized and is not well understood. A review of literature found that the spectrum of lean six sigma approaches extends from those that are lean dominant to those that are six sigma dominant. This research illuminated the lean six sigma methodology by methodically assessing the literature via text mining and cluster analysis. Text mining was used to establish the degree to which lean six sigma models, as described in articles published in the International Journal of Lean Six Sigma, are lean dominant versus six sigma dominant. The iterative …

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Ptsd And Disclosure: Understanding The Implications Of Personality, Jena Wierwille Aug 2014

Ptsd And Disclosure: Understanding The Implications Of Personality, Jena Wierwille

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Despite decades of research outlining the onset, course, and treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the question of why some, but not others, develop the disorder remains unanswered. One of the most widely accepted predictors of the disorder is the presence of negative posttraumatic cognitions. However, because the term “posttraumatic” implies a retrospective prediction, the clinical utility of this finding is relatively insignificant; it does not allow for the identification of those most at risk for developing PTSD prior to trauma exposure. A more promising area of research concerns the degree to which individuals feel comfortable discussing their thoughts and …

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Prescription For Doctors: An Interpretive Analysis Of Messages Portrayed By Websites Targeting Potential Medical Students, Kelly Oehler Aug 2014

Prescription For Doctors: An Interpretive Analysis Of Messages Portrayed By Websites Targeting Potential Medical Students, Kelly Oehler

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This study examined communication about medical professional career decisions as depicted by 10 popular websites. Qualitative research methods, phenomenology and hermeneutics, were used to investigate these messages. Findings revealed a differencebetween medical community authors and layperson authors. Authors associated with the medical field shared overall positive messaging while authors not associated with the medical field leaned toward a negative presentation of information. The divide was most prominent when the role of advising was introduced. Topics discussed in the research included making the choice to enter the medical profession, level of intelligence of medical students, personality traits, financial incentive, continued education,and …

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