Literature in English, North America, Ethnic and Cultural Minority Commons^™

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 …

The Experiences Of Gay And Lesbian College Athletes, Channell Barbour

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The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of gay and lesbian college student athletes. Participants of the study were given an opportunity to share their stories about their lived experiences on college campuses as gay or lesbian student athletes. The primary research question explored was, What are the experiences of gay and lesbian college student athletes on college campuses? Other questions that guided this study included, What impact does self-disclosing as gay or lesbian have on student athletes’ sport participation? How does the larger campus environment impact gay and lesbian student athletes’ overall collegiate experiences? Furthermore, this …

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 …

Obesity Among Young American Indian Adults In North Dakota, Abby Omahen

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Obesity among American Indian young adults is a significant health problem. There is an increase in the prevalence rate of diseases associated with obesity which tend to have high medical costs and high mortality rates. Fruit and vegetable consumption, exercise, gender and education are factors which could affect obesity among American Indians. Therefore, the primary purpose of the current study was to determine if there was an association between certain factors (fruit and vegetable consumption, exercise, gender and education level) and obesity among young American Indian adults in North Dakota. The secondary purpose was to determine if there was a …

Development Of A Methodology For Evaluating Quality Characteristics Of Fused Deposition Modeling, Dominique Winston Sealy

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Additive Manufacturing rapid reproductive systems are gaining popularity within the manufacturing industry. One of the many benefits of such systems has been the exploration of building practical sacrificial patterns for investment casted metals. Methods such as, Castform and Quickcast, has been developed for selective laser sintering and Stereolithography apparatus technologies respectively. Research has demonstrated significant cost savings when Additive manufacturing rapid reproductive systems are utilized for customized or small batch production of sacrificial patterns. The purpose of this study was to develop a methodology for evaluating quality characteristics of Fused Deposition Modeling. Since Fused Deposition Modeling have been demonstrated by …

Analytical Modeling And Feasibility Study For Adoption Of Renewable Energy Sources In A Single Family Dwelling, Jimmy B. Linn

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In the last four or five decades, increased political and social pressure has been placed on commercial and residential consumers to reduce consumption of fossil fuels and invest in alternative methods of energy production for electricity, heating and cooling. Commercially, wind turbines and photovoltaic energy production equipment has sprung up all over the country. Other forms of energy production such as hydroelectric and geothermal energy production facilities have also been built. During this time however, very few residential ‘green energy’ investments have been made. Only in recent years have residential home owners begun to “wet their feet” on ‘green’ energy …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

The Effect Of Intentionally Engaging Attention When Viewing Restorative Environments: Exploring Attention Restoration Theory, Charles E. Jaggard

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Although research exploring Attention Restoration Theory has been extensive, certain procedures for its study seem to be taken as implicit, but require investigation for a deeper understanding and application of both the theory and its underlying processes. This study aimed to answer the questions: “What is the result of engaging directed attention when viewing otherwise restorative environments?” and “Does this intentional engagement have any effect on already fatiguing non-restorative environments?” Participants were asked to complete a task designed to fatigue their directed attentional capacity and then view images of restorative or non-restorative environments, wherein they either were asked to direct …

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 …

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

All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations

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 …

The Influence Of Literacy On The Lives Of Twentieth Century Southern Female Minority Figures, Laura Leighann Dicks

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The American South has long been a region associated with myth and fantasy; in popular culture especially, the region is consistently tied to skewed notions of the antebellum South that include images of large plantation homes, women in hoop skirts, and magnolia trees that manifest in television and film representations such as Gone With the Wind (1939). Juxtaposed with these idealized, mythic images is the hillbilly trope, reinforced by radio shows such as Lum and Abner, and films such as Scatterbrain (1940). Out of this idea comes the southern illiteracy stereotype, which suggests that southerners are collectively unconcerned with education …

Using Analogues To Simulate Intensity, Trajectory, And Dynamical Changes In Alberta Clippers With Global Climate Change, Jamie L. Ward

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Alberta Clippers are extratropical cyclones that form in the lee of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and traverse through the Great Plains and Midwest regions of the United States. With the imminent threat of global climate change and its effects on regional teleconnection patterns like El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), properties of Alberta Clipper could be altered as a result of changing atmospheric circulation patterns. Since the Great Plains and Midwest regions both support a large portion of the national population and agricultural activity, the effects of global climate change on Alberta Clippers could affect these areas in a variety of ways. …

A Dendrochronological Analysis Of Insect Outbreaks And Climate Effects On Tamarack From Indiana And Michigan, Nicholas Lorin Flinner

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Disturbances have a strong impact on tree stand dynamics across the world. In North America, the larch sawfly (Pristiphora erichsonii) and larch casebearer (Cleophora laricella) are two non-native species of insects affecting tamarack across much of their native range. The majority of research on the effects of larch sawfly on tamarack (Larix laricina) has been conducted in Canada with very little dendrochronological work in the United States along the geographical boundary of tamarack or on the effects of larch casebearer on radial growth. As a consequence, very little is known about the relationship between tamarack and these insects’ outbreaks in …

Framing Identity: Repudiating The Ideal In Chicana Literature, Michael A. Flores

All NMU Master's Theses

In the 1960s Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzalez penned his now canonical, epic poem “I Am Joaquin.” The poem chronicles the historic oppression of a transnational, Mexican people as well as revolutionary acts of their forefathers in resisting tyranny. Coinciding with a series of renewed, sociopolitical campaigns, collectively known as the Chicano Movement, Gonzales’ poem uses vivid imagery to present an idealized representation of Chicanos and encouraged his reader to engage in revolutionary action. Though the poem encourages strong leadership, upward mobility, and political engagement the representations of women in his text are misogynistic and limiting.

His presentation of the “black-shawled …

An Investigation Into The Traits Of And Strategies Used By Highly Effective Teachers, Stephanie J. Ciolli-Stewart

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The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the traits of and strategies used by highly effective teachers. Two research questions were presented in this study: What are the traits of highly effective teachers? and What strategies are used by highly effective teachers? Elementary school principals in the Evansville-Vanderburgh School Corporation in Evansville, Indiana, were asked to recommend one to two highly effective teachers. After a thorough review of principal recommendations, participants were considered based upon gender, years of experience, and grade level or subject area taught. Once the participant selection process concluded, dates for six onsite classroom observations …

Humor In Discourse: Herr Flick And Lieutenant Gruber In ‘Allo ‘Allo, Toke Van Gehuchten

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Humor in discourse is often characterized by the specific, i.e. humor arises in a particular context. Sitcoms often provide a medium for humor in that the characters act as types through the aid of linguistic tools. In the case of ‘Allo ‘Allo, for instance, the German character of Herr Flick is exemplified by his extensive usage of syntactic features, which are associated with speaker dominance, e.g. frequent use of the imperative, deontically used modal verbs and conciseness of utterance. On the other hand, the character of Lieutenant Gruber is typified by his usage of mitigation speech devices, such as the …

Comparison Of Blood Flow Changes With Soft Tissue Mobilization And Massage Therapy, Andrea M. Portillo Soto

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Context: Instrument Assisted Soft Tissue Mobilization (IASTM) and massage therapy are manual techniques that claim to be able to increase blood flow to treated areas. There are no studies on human subjects that have directly investigated the effects of IASTM on blood flow. Objective: To compare the effects of Graston Technique (GT) and Massage therapy on calf blood flow, using skin temperature measures (a valid, indirect measureof blood flow), on the lower leg. Design: Single-blinded prospective, longitudinal, controlled, repeated-measures design. Setting: Research Laboratory Participants: 28 volunteers participated in the study (Age=23±3; Males=14/28 (50%); Females=14/28 (50%); Girth=39.5±4.3l; Skinfold=27.9±5.6) Interventions: Each participant …

A Qualitative Study Of Nursing Living-Learning Communities, Renee Noel Bauer

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Living-learning communities, although not a novel concept, have been known to promote student performance and a sense of collegiality. Because nursing is essential to the medical profession, nursing student retention and pass rates are of paramount importance. Attrition tends to happen to nursing students in their first formative years (Newton & Moore, 2009). Therefore, this study was conducted to explore findings associated with living arrangements and residential factors promoting and deterring retention. Although most studies on this topic have utilized quantitative methods, this qualitative comparative case study, involving two universities in Indiana during the winter of 2014, examined the personal …

‘My Freedom Is A Privilege Which Nothing Else Can Equal’: The Life And Writings Of Venture Smith And Phillis Wheatley, American Slaves, Donald Holmes Ii

Honors Theses

Slavery in the United States was an evolving institution that lasted nearly 400 years. To understand the colonial era of slavery within the United States, I examine the life and times of Venture Smith, as documented in his autobiography, A Narrative of the Life and Adventures of Venture, A Native of Africa (1798), and that of Phillis Wheatley using The Collected Works of Phillis Wheatley (1988). Both Smith and Wheatley were African-born slaves brought to America during the eighteenth century. In Smith’s narrative, he concludes by proclaiming “my freedom is a privilege which nothing else can equal” (31). This statement …

Using Stable Isotope Analysis To Study Altitudinal And Latitudinal Bat Migration, Lily Arias

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The general lack of knowledge on basic aspects of the biology of temperate and tropical bats, their low reproductive rates, and threats such as white-nose syndrome, wind farms, and habitat loss, make them very susceptible to population declines. My research uses an innovative technique, the analysis of stable isotopes, to study the ecology of bat migration with the main goals of contributing significantly to the understanding of bat biology and assessing the conservation status and susceptibility of bats. In the first chapter, I measured the content of hydrogen isotopes in fur samples of migratory bat species killed at a wind …

The Ecology And Morphology Of Deep-Sea Benthic Foraminifera: The Australian Margin And Epifaunal Pore Characteristics, Jake Willingham

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The distribution and abundance patterns of modern benthic foraminifera are used by paleoceanographers to assess changes in ocean conditions over geologic time. Examination of modern foraminiferal analogs provides the means to determine how these single-celled protists record clues about ambient conditions in their morphology and abundance/distribution patterns. Abundance and vertical distribution patterns of deep-sea benthic foraminifera were examined along the South Australian Margin and Tasman Sea of Australia. This was one of the first studies to examine microhabitat preferences of living (Rose Bengal stained) deep-sea benthic foraminifera within the region. A total of 11 sediment cores were collected via multicorer. …

“It Made The Ladies Into Ghosts”: The Male Hero's Journey And The Destruction Of The Feminine In William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! And Toni Morrison's Song Of Solomon, Catherine Ruth Schetina

Scripps Senior Theses

This thesis is a consideration of the intertextual relationship between William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! and Toni Morrison's Song of Solomon. It considers the objectification and destruction of women and female-coded men in the service of the male protagonist's journey to selfhood, with particular focus on the construction of race, gender, and class performances.

Em(Body)Ing Autonomy: Black Women’S Bodies And Self-Liberation In The Novels Of Zora Neale Hurston And Alice Walker, Caitlin Rose Riley Duttry

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

Cultural Discourse In Taiwan. Ed. Chin-Chuan Cheng, I-Chun Wang, And Steven Tötösy De Zepetnek., Chin-Chuan Cheng, I-Chun Wang, Steven Tötösy De Zepetnek

CLCWeb Library

The collected volume Cultural Discourse in Taiwan — edited by Chin-Chuan Cheng, I-Chun Wang, and Steven Tötösy de Zepetnek and published by National Sun Yat-sen Uiniversity Press in 2009 — is intended as an addition to scholarship in the field of Taiwan Studies. The articles in the volume are in many aspects comparative and the topics discussed are in the context of literary and culture scholarship. At the same time, the volume is interdisciplinary as the articles cover historical perspectives, analyses of texts by Taiwan authors, and cultural discourse as related to Taiwan consciousness, language, and linguistic issues. Copyright release …