Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Adoptees Revisiting China, Kelly Hancox

Honors Projects

Since 1991, more than 80,000 children from China have been adopted to the United States. This thesis describes the circumstances that led to those adoptions and focuses on 17 Chinese adult adoptees’ return trip reculturation experiences. In doing so, this study reveals the impact of these trips on the transracial adoptees’ identities. Return trips significantly impacted adoptees with factors such as age during return trip, length of trip, linguistic fluency, and prior cultural knowledge greatly affecting trip experiences. Because of the ages of this cohort of adoptees, return trips may become more popular in the coming years as they enter …

Drag Performers Vs Rupaul's Drag Race: A Sociological Study, Sydney Shanley

Honors Projects

A sociological study of the Grand Rapids drag scene. From the history of drag representation on screen to the future of drag, drag performance is evaluated. Interviews of local drag performers are conducted in order to learn their opinions on the newfound mainstream popularity of drag, namely RuPaul’s Drag Race. The breadth of identities, passions, and misconceptions surrounding drag are thoroughly explored and analyzed.

The Need For Emotional Intelligence In The Workplace, Leah Davis

Senior Projects

This thesis explores why emotional intelligence is valuable in the workplace, arguing it helps to create positive employee morale. As our society becomes more diverse, so does the environment of the workplace. These developments place increased demands on employees, requiring skills of social and emotional intelligence to function in newly dynamic work environments. Findings and recommendations emerge from an analysis of peer-reviewed journal articles, literature reviews, books, and case studies from the fields of business and psychology. Results verify that emotional intelligence is beneficial in the workplace due to increased workplace demands, employee morale, and informational diversity. This analysis also …

Learn The Terms: A Visual Glossary, 2018 Edition, Gayle Schaub, Vinicius Lima, Jacob Mol, Christina Elsholz

Open Teaching Tools

Understanding a discipline requires a fundamental understanding of its concepts, theories, and terminology. Critical to academic success, these are often assumed to be widely understood by students.

The students of Graphic Design V, fall 2018, created poster to help students understand one of the ACRL Framework’s concepts, scholarship as conversation. These bold, eye-catching informational posters, produced and disseminated in and outside of the Library, promote learning through innovative designs created by students for students.

Bilingual Family Literacy Programming In West Michigan: Points Of Alignment And Disconnect Among Learners, Instructors, And Local Partners, Thomas J. Rogers

Masters Theses

This research explores the beliefs and experiences of stakeholders in a family literacy program through the Literacy Center of West Michigan and Head Start for Kent County. The program is currently developing a curriculum to improve outcomes for learner specific goals. Therefore, one motivation behind this research is to analyze the goals, needs, and understandings for the multiple stakeholders within the program. On a national scale, there exists a need to better define the goals of family literacy programming in general. Points of alignment and disconnect for the participants in this study reflect realities that extend beyond the program at …

The Effects Of English Pronunciation Instruction On Listening Skills Among Vietnamese Learners, Nguyet Nguyen

Masters Theses

Listening has been a neglected skill in both second language research and teaching practice (Khaghaninejad & Maleki, 2015; Nowrouzi, Tam, Zareian & Nimehchisalem, 2015) and recent research has shown that second language (L2) listening difficulties might relate to phonological problems besides syntactic and lexical knowledge (e.g., Suristro, 2018). There have been some empirical studies examining the effects of phonetic instruction on perceptual skills showing promising results (e.g., Aliaga-Garcia & Mora, 2009; Linebaugh & Roche, 2013). This study contributes to this area with a focus on investigating the impacts of English pronunciation instruction on listening skills among Vietnamese English as a …

Swearing In A Second Language, Grace Irwin

Masters Theses

Second language learners often lack knowledge of L2 swear words, their appropriateness, and pragmatic function. Competence in L2 swearing is important for L2 learners to be able to express themselves expertly and understand others’ emotional expressions precisely. However, taboo language is rarely included explicitly in L2 curricula due to its controversial nature. This paper addresses a gap in the literature concerning what second language users actually know about swearing in their L2. Some studies have attempted to determine learners’ receptive swearing competence (Jay & Janschewitz, 2008; Kapoor, 2016); however, the present study employs an updated measure of L2 pragmatic swearing …

Influences On International Saudi Students’ Sojourner Acculturation In The U.S., Abdulah Shaban Alasiri

Masters Theses

Research on international students’ experiences in tertiary institutions abroad suggest they face difficulties related to culture, language, and socialization (e.g., Andrade, 2006; Hellsten, 2002). To encourage more successful socialization and English language development, the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission established a cap on the enrollment of Saudi students in any institutions abroad since 2014. The effectiveness of these quotas in promoting socialization is not known, but anecdotal evidence and an exploratory study conducted by the author suggest other (perhaps more influential) factors affecting Saudi students’ opportunities for socialization (in this study defined more specifically as sojourner acculturation) and subsequent language development. …

Language Attitudes Of Writing Center Consultants: Perception And Expectation, Benjamin John Sparks

Masters Theses

This master’s thesis explores the results of research into the language attitudes of peer consultants working in a writing center at a large regional public university in the American Midwest. A survey was administered to writing center staff in which they were asked to evaluate the sociopolitical relationship between standard and nonstandard English dialects, the perceived relative grammaticality of these dialects, and the traditional concept of appropriateness in academic writing. Also included were questions pertaining to how consultants manage the practical responsibilities of their positions and the expectations of students and professors with the writing center’s stated policy of linguistic …

Lanthorn, Vol. 53, No. 29, April 1, 2019, Grand Valley State University

Volume 53, July 9, 2018 - June 10, 2019

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Grand Valley Forum, Volume 043, Number 14, March 25, 2019, Grand Valley State University

2018-2019, Volume 43

Grand Valley Forum is Grand Valley State's faculty and staff newsletter, published from 1976 to the present.

Lanthorn, Vol. 53, No. 28, March 25, 2019, Grand Valley State University

Volume 53, July 9, 2018 - June 10, 2019

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Back Matter, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Ensuring Success: The Impact Of First-Year Faculty Librarians, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Knowledge Market Services Support Non-Traditional Students, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Debbie Morrow: “Liberal Arts Nerd At Heart”, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Document Delivery, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Universal Design, Maya Hobscheid

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Message From The Dean, Annie Bélanger

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Front Matter, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Cover, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Grand Valley State University Libraries

Off the Shelf

No abstract provided.

Lanthorn, Vol. 53, No. 27, March 18, 2019, Grand Valley State University

Volume 53, July 9, 2018 - June 10, 2019

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

As Religiosity Changes, Donor Engagement Needs To Adapt, Tamela A. Spicer

Research, Reports, and Publications

No abstract provided.

Lanthorn, Vol. 53, No. 26, March 11, 2019, Grand Valley State University

Volume 53, July 9, 2018 - June 10, 2019

Lanthorn is Grand Valley State's student newspaper, published from 1968 to the present.

Grand Valley Forum, Volume 043, Number 13, March 11, 2019, Grand Valley State University

2018-2019, Volume 43

Grand Valley Forum is Grand Valley State's faculty and staff newsletter, published from 1976 to the present.

Enthusiasm In Teaching, Bob Schoofs

Scholarly Papers and Articles

Author discusses the importance of enthusiasm for effective teaching, and methods to improve you enthusiasm.

Executive Summaries

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.

Editorial, Teresa R. Behrens

The Foundation Review

No abstract provided.