Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Celebrities And Causes: Where Does The Focus Lie In Print Media Coverage?, Amanda Jones

Communication

Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the amount of, and depth of coverage of celebrity lives. Celebrities are now appearing in hard news stories, pictured performing mundane daily activities, and seen supporting various causes. This research explores the increased emergence of entertainment news in the print media by examining the dominance of celebrity coverage in articles involving activist causes. Does print media coverage of celebrity activism focus more on the cause or the celebrity involved? Using the data collected from September 2008 to September 2009 issues of Time magazine, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report, this research …

Assessing The Legality Of Solitary Confinement, Steven Debraccio

Criminal Justice

No abstract provided.

Lessons From Nuclear Reversal: Why States Reverse Ballistic Missile Policy, Cyndi Mellen

Political Science

Nuclear reversal is the decision by a state, which has a nuclear weapon or the technical capabilities to produce a nuclear weapon, to give up their nuclear weapons program. This paper employs the tenets of nuclear missile reversal to the dismantling of ballistic missile programs through case studies of the six states (Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Iraq, Libya, and South Africa) that have abandoned their missile programs since 1987. The study hopes to promote further research concerning the behaviors associated with abandonment of nuclear reversal to that of ballistic missile reversal. This research concludes that the principles of nuclear reversal do …

Ten Years Of “Ya Spaces Of Your Dreams:” What Have We Learned?, Anthony Bernier

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Effects Of University Website On Students' Evaluations Of Fort Hays State University, Mo Yu

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The Internet has brought significant developments and challenges to universities and their publics. Meanwhile, the channels to deliver messages have gradually become digitized through the strong impact of the Internet, which offers an additional channel for public relations practitioners. With a survey conducted at Fort Hays State University (FHSU), this study was designed to investigate the relationship between students’ satisfaction with the FHSU website and their evaluations of the university. This study also provided a practical method for FHSU to evaluate how the university website satisfies the students or other publics.

Fire Effects On Wildlife In Tallgrass Prairie, Maria Gaetani, Kayla Cook, Sherry Leis

United States National Park Service: Publications

Abstract

In the tallgrass prairie region of North America, grasslands are often burned on a rotational schedule to prevent the encroachment of woody species and maintain the vigor of plant communities. Although prescribed fire practitioners often consider the effects of fire on plant communities, the effects of fire on wildlife are also important. Practitioners as well as park visitors inquire about the effects of fire on birds, deer, and other animals of interest. Many wildlife species focus on vegetation structure in choosing suitable habitats, and fire can temporarily alter that structure. Wildlife species have varying habitat needs, and therefore, a …

Toward Innovative, Liveable, And Prosperous Asian Megacities: Medical Tourism, Mitzie Irene P. Conchada, Paulynne Castillo

Angelo King Institute for Economic and Business Studies (AKI)

Thanks to rapidly improving technology and medical practice standards, medical travel is able to combine the allure of exotic tourist destinations with the promise of affordable and high-quality health care as well as alternatives to western medical knowledge and procedures (such as traditional medicine including yoga, homeopathy, and "Chinese medicine"). Rising medical costs and lengthening queues for medical procedures in the Western world also contribute to making medical services in countries like India, the Philippines and Thailand more than acceptable substitutes to those offered in their developed country counterparts.

Moreover, the literature on the industry indicate that other than the …

Independent Information Technology Assessment: Prepared For The Town Of Middleborough And The Middleborough School Department, Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center For Public Management, University Of Massachusetts Boston

Edward J. Collins Center for Public Management Publications

This Independent Information Technology Assessment (IT Assessment) arose from long­standing concerns among various elected and appointed officials in the Town of Middleborough about the efficiency and effectiveness of the procurement and deployment of information technology (IT) in both the Town and in the School Department. At Middleborough’s direction, the IT Assessment specifically excluded the Police and Fire Departments as well as the Middleborough Gas and Electric Department.

Recognizing the need for a completely independent analysis of these issues, Middleborough contracted with the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management (the Collins Center), located within the McCormack Graduate School of …

Documentary Research And Archaeological Investigations At The Waite-Kirby-Potter Site, Westport, Massachusetts, Katharine M. Johnson, Christa M. Beranek, Kathryn A. Catlin, Laura W. Ng

Andrew Fiske Memorial Center for Archaeological Research Publications

Research on the Waite-Kirby-Potter house in Westport, Massachusetts, included mapping historical resources visible on the surface and excavating 25 test pits and units near the house foundations in the fall of 2009. Field investigations were complemented by extensive documentary research including a complete chain of title and genealogical research on the three families who have owned the property between the late 17th century and the present. The visible historical features include elements associated with the former stone ender (the standing stone end and chimney, an adjacent brick chimney, and a stone-lined cellar hole), stone walls, a 19th-century barn foundation, a …

Paths To Citizenship: A Comparative Study Of Japan, Germany And Sweden, Marisha L. Lecea

Masters Theses

This paper examines citizenship policy in Japan, Germany and Sweden in an attempt to explain why some rich, democratic nations have high rates of naturalization and non-restrictive paths to citizenship, while others have negligible rates of naturalization and very restrictive policies. Japan has a very restrictive policy while Sweden has a very open policy. Germany is a mid-level case that has moved from more restrictive to less restrictive over the last several years. In this paper I look at the explanatory potential of internal, institutional, and external variables. I use data from the W orId Values Survey to compare domestic …

Rrh Library Newsletter, May 2010, Libraries At Rochester Regional Health

Rochester Regional Health authored publications and proceedings

Newsletter sections include: Patient Transfer; Try out the New Databases on the Medical Library RGHSnet page

U.S. Response To Terrorism: A Strategic Analysis Of The Afghanistan Campaign, Valentina Taddeo

Journal of Strategic Security

This article examines the U.S. response to global terrorism and its campaign in Afghanistan from 2001 to today. The aim of this article is first to understand the fallacies, missteps, and misunderstandings of the U.S. approach in Afghanistan. Second, the analysis evaluates the lessons learnt and some possible strategies for achieving long-term stability and security in Afghanistan. In particular, the analysis focuses on the different strategies adopted by the United States and their achievements. Despite a first victory over the Taliban regime, the initial approach was focused on the enemy only and it lacked long-term planning, paving the way to …

Another Look At Resampling: Replenishing Small Samples With Virtual Data Through S-Smart, Haiyan Bai, Wei Pan, Leigh Lihshing Wang, Phillip Neal Ritchey

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A new resampling method is introduced to generate virtual data through a smoothing technique for replenishing small samples. The replenished analyzable sample retains the statistical properties of the original small sample, has small standard errors and possesses adequate statistical power.

Estimations On The Generalized Exponential Distribution Using Grouped Data, Hassan Pazira, Parviz Nasiri

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Classical and Bayesian estimators are obtained for the shape parameter of the Generalized-Exponential distribution under grouped data. In Bayesian estimation, three types of loss functions are considered: the Squared Error loss function which is classified as a symmetric function, the LINEX and Precautionary loss functions which are asymmetric. These estimators are compared with the corresponding estimators derived from un-grouped data empirically using Monte-Carlo simulation.

Symmetry Plus Quasi Uniform Association Model And Its Orthogonal Decomposition For Square Contingency Tables, Kouji Yamamoto, Sadao Tomizawa

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

A model is proposed having the structure of both symmetry and quasi-uniform association (SQU model) and provides a decomposition of the SQU model. It is also shown with examples that the test statistic for goodness-of-fit of the SQU model is asymptotically equivalent to the sum of those for the decomposed models.

Applying Multiple Imputation With Geostatistical Models To Account For Item Nonresponse In Environmental Data, Breda Munoz, Virginia M. Lesser, Ruben A. Smith

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Methods proposed to solve the missing data problem in estimation procedures should consider the type of missing data, the missing data mechanism, the sampling design and the availability of auxiliary variables correlated with the process of interest. This article explores the use of geostatistical models with multiple imputation to deal with missing data in environmental surveys. The method is applied to the analysis of data generated from a probability survey to estimate Coho salmon abundance in streams located in western Oregon watersheds.

Beyond Alpha: Lower Bounds For The Reliability Of Tests, Nol Bendermacher

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The most common lower bound to the reliability of a test is Cronbach’s alpha. However, several lower bounds exist that are definitely better, that is, higher than alpha. An overview is given as well as an algorithm to find the best: the greatest lower bound.

Shrinkage Estimation In The Inverse Rayleigh Distribution, Gyan Prakash

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The properties of the shrinkage test–estimators of the parameter were studied for an inverse Rayleigh model under the asymmetric loss function. Both the single and double–stage shrinkage test–estimators are considered.

Combining Independent Tests Of Conditional Shifted Exponential Distribution, Abedel-Qader S. Al-Masri

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

The problem of combining n independent tests as n→∞ for testing that variables are uniformly distributed over the interval (0, 1) compared to their having a conditional shifted exponential distribution with probability density function f (xθ ) = e^{−(x−γθ)} , x ≥γθ , θ ∈[a,∞), a ≥ 0 was studied. This was examined for the case where θ₁, θ₂, … are distributed according to the distribution function (DF) F and when the DF is Gamma (1, 2). Six omnibus methods were compared via the Bahadur efficiency. It is shown that, as γ → 0 and …

A Comparative Study For Bandwidth Selection In Kernel Density Estimation, Omar M. Eidous, Mohammad Abd Alrahem Shafeq Marie, Mohammed H. Baker Al-Haj Ebrahem

Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods

Nonparametric kernel density estimation method does not make any assumptions regarding the functional form of curves of interest; hence it allows flexible modeling of data. A crucial problem in kernel density estimation method is how to determine the bandwidth (smoothing) parameter. This article examines the most important bandwidth selection methods, in particular, least squares cross-validation, biased crossvalidation, direct plug-in, solve-the-equation rules and contrast methods. Methods are described and expressions are presented. The main practical contribution is a comparative simulation study that aims to isolate the most promising methods. The performance of each method is evaluated on the basis of the …

Future Of Criminal Justice In America, Andrew Karanikolis

Senior Honors Projects

Throughout history, a civilization’s attitudes toward the law, crime, and punishment have served as indicators of its morality and commitment to progress. What then, I wonder, will history say about the American Civilization? Might they ask why the wealthiest nation in the world also has the highest incarceration rates?

This is but one of the critical questions I was left with after my internship at the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office. America currently houses over 2.5 million inmates in state and federal prisons across the country. Despite the noticeable decline in crime (particularly violent crime) over the past decade, prison …

Exploring Health Through The Lens Of Homelessness, Faith T. Adewusi

Senior Honors Projects

Homelessness is a serious economic, social and public health problem. Approximately 2.3 to 3.5 million people are estimated to be homeless nationwide and with the current recession, these numbers are expected to rise. Due to the lack of permanent living accommodations and limited access to healthcare, homeless people are more likely than domiciled people to suffer from a wide range of chronic health problem, ranging from diabetes to tuberculosis to mental illness. Healthcare problems can be seen as both the cause and the effect of homelessness.

The purpose of this study was to learn about the living conditions of the …

Economic Implications Of Anti-Americanism, Brenda Jennifer Bee

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This capstone project is a multidisciplinary investigation into a problem that has surfaced with the rise of globalization. It explores the negative sentiments in Europe towards Americans, their recent history, and future implications. It was designed to be multidisciplinary because of the complexity of the issue at hand. It stretches from political to anthropological, both in the context of communications and economics and finally their synergistic affect in fostering certain feelings in different European nations about the American way of life. I show how certain negative feelings can change behavior and preferences for American goods and services and how it …

Archiving Transgender: Affects, Logics, And The Power Of Queer History, Kelly Jacob Rawson

Writing Program – Dissertations

Archiving Transgender:Affects, Logics, and the Power of Queer History examines three archives that collect transgender material in order to analyze archives as rhetorical sites where a complex interplay of language, politics, logic, and affect shape archival research. Current scholarship in rhetorical historiography has (re)turned to archives to consider the rhetorical dimensions of archives themselves and the impact these dimensions have on researchers (Kirsch and Rohan; Morris; Ferreira-Buckley). I extend and complicate this line of inquiry by focusing specifically on transgender archival practices and logics. Transgender archiving is an especially rich site for critical investigation because of the complexities of the …

The Association Of Type-D Personality And Prognosis Following Diagnosis Of Cardiovascular Disease: A Review And Meta-Analysis, Kelsey O'Dell

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Type-D personality is characterized by the stable traits of negative affectivity and social inhibition. In recent years, a body of studies has examined the relationship between the presence of Type-D personality and prognosis in cardiovascular patient populations. The present meta-analysis, investigated relationships between Type-D personality and three different outcome measures: major adverse cardiac events, quality of life, and biochemical markers of disease. A random effects meta-analytic model was utilized to calculate omnibus effect sizes for each set of related studies. Tests of homogeneity were conducted, and all studies were coded for the presence of potential moderators. A total of 14 …

And That’S How I Feel On The Gudaha: A Quilting Project From A 4-6th Grade Classroom From The Somali-Bantu Community-Based Tutoring Program Of Syracuse, Amanda Stessen

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

This Capstone Project is a multimodal presentation, combining a research paper, a quilt, and a video. The research paper brings together the background of the collective elements that have made up the 4-6^th grade classroom of the Somali Bantu Community-Based Tutoring Program this semester. It touches on methods of teaching English Language Learners (ELL), gives a brief background of African American quilts, illustrates the power of resistance communicated through the autoethnographic genre, and describes how the quilt was created. The quilt gives a viewer an inside glimpse to the students and tutors who are a part of the tutoring …

(Re)Writing History: Public Memories Of The Holocaust, Vietnam War, And American Civil Rights Movement, Lauren Braun

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Interest in the study of public memories has been growing in recent years, particularly after Maurice Halbwachs introduced the concept of collective memory in La mémoire collective. Differing from personal memory, collective memory focuses on the memories shared by a larger group or society, which are then used to form ideas and narratives about our pasts. It creates a connection to past events for those who were not there to actually experience it. Public memory enters into the social conscience when there is some event or time period that needs to be remembered, and can be found in a …

A Spectrum Of Philosophies: The Rhetorical Framing Of Avant-Garde Art Manifestos Of The Early Twentieth Century, Alison Kara Falotico

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

Studies of the manifesto genre are often based on an understanding of early political manifestos as exemplifying extreme left-wing political philosophies and argument typologies and utilizing the confrontational form. Many avant-garde artistic movements of the early twentieth century wrote manifestos to advocate for new approaches to art, design, and aesthetic education and production. Because there is a gap in present scholarship, these avant-garde art manifestos were incorrectly categorized under the preceded format of early political manifestos. This essay offers the argument that these early twentieth century avant-garde art manifestos actually lie across a spectrum (Rossiter’s Political Spectrum) and can exemplify …

Interactive Online Forms, Ashley Nelson-Hornstein

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

The use of interactive online forms can improve the efficiency of data management processes in any organization, particularly ones that rely on the collection of large amounts of data. The work of my capstone project sought to leverage technologies available in the open source community to improve the work-flow of one such organization, the Honors program at Syracuse University. As a result, I focused on transforming the often used paper civic engagement form into an autonomous electronic process. By appropriately following the stages of the systems development life cycle, a systematic approach that focused on planning and security conscious execution …

Natalee, Natalie Tebbi

Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All

NataLee is a 48-page prom issue of a proposed teen magazine geared toward girls aged 13-17. Though it includes elements of fashion, it does not conform to a fashionable body-type. It approaches teen issues with delicacy, and avoids topics such as sex and drinking in order to appeal to a conservative demographic. Its 15 articles range from the creative (“Make Your Own Corsage”) to the sentimental (“Popping the Question”) to the informative (“What’s Prom Got to Do with It”) to the academic (“Skin Care Science”). These articles follow a theme of “intelligent fashion.” The mission statement of the magazine is, …