Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Understanding The Impact Of Special Events: A Look At One Company's Annual Event, Eileen M. Harduk

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines large-scale corporate entertainment to gain an understanding of the measurable impact companies who host these events receive in return. More specifically, the researcher studied one company's Appreciation Day event and collected data on how its 320 customers and suppliers felt about the company after the event and what facets of the event impacted attendees most.

Attendees were asked to participate in data collection for the research through a pen and paper survey. Responses were tabulated using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software. For further understanding of the survey results, an eleven-person focus group was held …

Effective Messages And Channels Of Communication Used By Assisted Living Facilities To Attract Residents, Allyson L. Wisniewski

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to pinpoint the most effective messages and channels of communication used by assisted living facilities to attract residents.

The study includes three in-depth interviews with marketing/public relations representatives from three successful assisted living facilities in Gloucester County, NJ. The author asked the representatives questions about their marketing/public relations efforts. The study also includes a content analysis of the promotional folders distributed by each of the three facilities.

The study shows that assisted living facilities should focus on building relationships with referral sources. Also, facilities should work to maintain their visibility by participating in community …

Investor Relations: Defender Of The Faith At Commerce Bancorp, Paul H. Welitzkin

Theses and Dissertations

The study's results will show that the investor relations department at Commerce Bancorp Inc. helped to minimize damage to the company following the indictments of two of its officials in a Philadelphia corruption probe.

Primary and secondary research will show that Commerce's IR department helped the company during its crisis after June 30, 2004. Interviews with Commerce's IR director and two Wall Street analysts reveal that Commerce minimized the damage to its reputation and brand by communicating effectively with the financial community, a major constituency.

A content analysis shows that Commerce conducted successful crisis communication despite an unusual amount of …

Directional, Identification, And Orientation Signage In Eight Southern New Jersey Public Libraries, Rachel Simmons

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to unobtrusively observe eight Southern New Jersey public libraries in eight different counties to discover if they were practicing the principles of good signage for the benefit of their patrons. A checklist of good signage criteria and ADA requirements was created and used to assess the libraries' signs. Principles of good signage and ADA signage came from prior studies. Using SPSS, frequency tables were generated for each question to show the signage percentages for the libraries in the study. The eight public libraries in the study rated well in the areas of signage design …

Effects Of Teachers' Active Role In Accelerated Reader With Elementary Students, Sarah L. Lenko

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study, which took place in an elementary school and included seven first grade classes, eight second grade classes, and one autistic class as the sample (n = 16), was to determine the success of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program by examining the way in which teachers implemented the program and studying the relationship between that implementation and student success, as measured by the percent of student quizzes passed and the average book level read by the students in the class. Three variables were researched and compared: the kind and amount of each participant's training with …

Scheduling Methods For Effective School Library Media Centers In K-8 School Districts, Rose F. Hagar

Theses and Dissertations

School library media centers should have a program that serves all students in the community, as well as meet the needs of a diverse population. In order to develop information literacy skills and create a life-long enjoyment of reading, students must have open access to the LMC. It is the role of the library media specialist to make sure that these needs are being met. The purpose of this study was to examine the library media programming methods used in K-8 school districts throughout the state of New Jersey. The results of this study were used to develop a library …

Planning Procedures For School Media Centers, Heather A. Deitch

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if media specialists were using effective planning processes in renovating school libraries or building new school library facilities. A second purpose was to propose recommendations for improving planning processes to make them more effective and efficient in creating the best possible school library facility. A researcher devised checklist was created through a literature search and was presented on two electronic listservs. Thirty responses were used from two email electronic listservs. Those who responded did use some or all of the outlined planning procedures that were provided in the electronic survey. The results …

A Study Of Culturally Diverse Materials In Elementary School Media Centers, Marie E. Mawson

Theses and Dissertations

Our country is more culturally diverse today than at any other time in its history, therefore there is a need for greater understanding among people and awareness of other cultures. A prime time to develop this understanding and awareness is during the elementary school years. School library media specialists can be foremost in providing materials that facilitate learning about all cultures. This study examined the multicultural collections of four elementary school media centers within the Pleasantville School District. The study was conducted by examining the Online Public Access Catalog for the identified variables and then by conducting a visual search …

Effectiveness Of A Treatment Approach For Major Depressive Disorder: A Case Study, Lisa Gail Mazzagatti

Theses and Dissertations

This case study assessed the efficacy of a treatment approach for a thirty-seven year old Caucasian female who was diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder. The intervention utilized techniques from several therapeutic approaches including cognitive-behavioral, psychoeducational and gestalt. The Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II) was used as an outcome measure. It was administered at the third, seventh, eleventh, fifteenth, and nineteenth session. Results indicated a decrease in depressive symptomotology over the course of treatment. Client self-report, clinical observations and a client satisfaction survey also supported the overall effectiveness of the treatment approach. The case study presents a psychosocial assessment, literature review, …

A School Library Collection Analysis Focused On Resources Available For Fifth Grade Research Topics, Carol A. Moroz

Theses and Dissertations

The purposes of this study were'to determine (a) the areas of study fifth grade students at Lakehurst Elementary School were asked to research, (b) whether the current library print collection was sufficient to meet the students' needs in terms of both quantity and quality, (c) the additional print resources which would be necessary to create a useful set of print resources, and (d) the cost of these additional print resources. Current print resources and resources considered for purchase were assigned a rating from zero to four on a Usefulness Rating Scale designed by the researcher, with a zero indicating a …

Techniques Used By Elementary Library Media Specialists To Teach Authors And Illustrators, Carol A. Sabol

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine elementary school library media specialists' perceptions of the role of author and illustrator studies in the library curriculum. The study was conducted to measure the uses of author/illustrator studies and which techniques that teach authors and illustrators were considered most effective by elementary school library media specialists. Of the 46 respondents to the mail survey, 55% replied that author/illustrator studies were very important, 36% replied that they were important, and 9% replied that they were somewhat important. The majority of library media specialists responded that storytelling with brief biographies of authors/illustrators and …

Barriers To Young Adult Patronage Of Public Libraries: A Survey Of New Jersey Librarians, Deborah A. Swierk

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate how public librarians in New Jersey responded to the external and internal barriers to young adult patronage as identified by the 1995 National Center for Educational Statistics study and the 1999 Public Libraries as Partners in Youth Development initiative. The researcher conducted a purposive online survey of New Jersey public librarians who were members of the New Jersey Young Adult and Children's (NJYAC) Iistserv and served young adults. Responses to the online survey totaled 77 or 16%. Percentages were used to analyze the data and Microsoft Excel was used to generate charts …

Evaluating The Web Sites Of County Public Libraries In New Jersey For Hispanic Accessibility, Geraldine Paolini

Theses and Dissertations

A library's web site can be an important outreach service for Hispanic patrons. Many county libraries in New Jersey, however, may not have web sites that are easily accessible to Hispanics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate New Jersey county public library web sites to determine if selected access criteria were present. Using a researcher designed criteria checklist, content, language, organization & navigation and services were examined. The existence of these criteria were used to determine if public library web sites provided adequate access for Hispanic patrons. The sample and population consisted of 20 county library, or their …

A Study Of The Services, Materials And Policies Provided For Homeschooling Families By New Jersey Public Libraries, Patricia A. Collins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if homeschoolers were being adequately served by the county public library systems of New Jersey. This was done by identifying and tabulating the materials, services, and policies available to homeschooling families served by twenty county library systems of New Jersey. The Website and online catalog of each system was searched using checklists developed by the researcher. A questionnaire developed by the researcher was completed by a representative of eighteen of the selected libraries. Most of the libraries surveyed had services and policies that were available to the general public rather than specifically …

School Library Media Specialists Who Provide In-Service Training For Teachers, Stephanie S. Gaughan

Theses and Dissertations

By taking a leadership role in the development and implementation of in-service training for teachers, school library media specialists increase their influence, strengthen their school library media programs, and in turn help increase student achievement. The purpose of this study was to determine how school library media specialists perceived the role of designing and implementing in-service training for teachers in an effort to determine why some school library media specialists did in fact practice this important role. Research was conducted to determine the characteristics of school library media specialists who provided in-service training opportunities for teachers. A link to an …

Reaching Out @ Your Library™: Communication Practices Of New Jersey High School Library Media Specialists, Lisa B. Mutter

Theses and Dissertations

This paper presents the methodology and results from surveys of New Jersey school library media specialists at 88 public secondary schools. The study examined how LMS reached out administratively to their learning community. Specifically, it addressed the following research questions: 1. HOW did the library media specialists promote the importance of the media center and its resources and services? 2. WHAT did library media specialists communicate to the learning community? 3. WHO did library media specialists communicate with in their learning community? 4. Were the library media specialists taking advantage of the American Library Association advocacy tools to help them …

The Effects Of The Accelerated Reader Program On The Reading Habits And Reading Frequencies Of Fourth Grade Students, Kathleen Wendt

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine if participation in the Accelerated Reader program affected the reading habits and reading frequency of fourth grade students. This study focused on two fourth grade classes at Folsom School. The two fourth grade classes had used the Accelerated Reader (AR), as part of their reading program in the library, since the beginning of the 2002-2003 school year.

A total of 38 students participated in this survey. The students were encouraged by the researcher to read and take quizzes on books supported by the Accelerated Reader program. All 38 students took both the …

An Experimental Study In Promoting Collaborative Instructional Activities, Kathleen Galarza

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to determine which public relations methods would best inform the first through fifth grade classroom teaching staff at Holly Heights School about the work of the library media center, the roles of the library media specialist, and the research that states how important collaborative educational activities are for students, so that teaching staff members would choose to participate in some type of collaborative instructional activities with the library media specialist to benefit the students. This study was conducted with 18 first through fifth grade teaching staff members at Holly Heights Elementary School in …

Computer Based Technology Used By Faculty Members At Vineland High School South, Diane C. Stokes

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to evaluate teacher use of computer based technology for personal use and for professional use at Vineland High School South. This study also sought to identify factors that contributed to faculty use or non-use of computer based technology in the classroom. Professional use of computer based technology by teachers was examined within specific categories, including: class preparation, delivery of information, in-class student use, special education accommodation, e-mail communications, and recording of grades. The teachers of Vineland High School South indicated the ways in which they acquired their computer knowledge and what sources were most …

Evaluation Of High School Reading Motivational Programs, Jeffrey A. Dilks

Theses and Dissertations

Purposes of this study were to identify 1) what were some of the reading incentive or reading motivational programs used in grades 9-12 throughout the country; 2) and which programs were deemed successful by library media specialists and on what basis. In order to achieve this goal, high school library media specialists throughout the country were surveyed via LM_Net listserv to see what reading incentive programs they were using, if any at all, and if they determined the programs were successful, how they measured the success of the programs. There were a total of 21 respondents. Results demonstrated that there …

Glbtq Characterization In Young Adult Novels, 1998-2004, Debra I. Lecates

Theses and Dissertations

Since the first young adult (YA) novel with gay content appeared in 1969, the number of gay-themed novels available for teens has increased significantly. However, research has shown that the long-awaited movement away from stereotyped characters and conservative storylines and into more realistic portrayals has been slow in materializing. This study utilized a content analysis of 22 YA novels with homosexual content to investigate whether changes have occurred in the portrayal of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (GLBTQ) characters and themes between earlier studies and 1998-2004. A total of 26 characterization and plot elements in each novel were analyzed …

"Faking Good" Response Patterns On The Mmpi-2 And The Child Abuse Potential Inventory, Stephen V. Flynn

Theses and Dissertations

A significant problem for forensic evaluations is the large number of clients who respond in a defensive manner. The present study examined defensive responding patterns on two self-report measures, the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) and the Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAP). Subjects were child welfare clients undergoing a parental capacity evaluation. It was hypothesized that subjects would be less likely to attempt to portray themselves in an unrealistically positive manner (fake good) on the MMPI-2 than the CAP since the CAP items are more concerned with matters of child abuse and the MMPI-2 questions are primarily focused on Axis …

Developing An Electronic Film Review For October Sky, Farrah Dawn Keeler

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this Electronic Film Review (EFR) Project was to take the feature film October Sky and apply the EFR approach to an ESL setting. By the use of a special EFRaid player, high-intermediate to low-advanced ESL/EFL students access vocabulary and cultural material in short segmented clips in order to improve their listening and overall comprehension of the film. This material was developed and tested by the materials developer of this project.

Matthew's Gift: Teaching Parents Of Children With Disabilities To Deal Effectively With Their Child's Problem Behavior, Karolyn King Peery

Theses and Dissertations

This study represents a unique collaboration between the State of Utah's Division of Services for People with Disabilities (DSPD) and Brigham Young University's Department of Counseling Psychology and Special Education (CPSE) and the Family Studies Center. Families with children with disabilities and problem behaviors may spend 5 to 10 years on the Utah DSPD Family Support waiting list before receiving support services. Families with children with disabilities and problem behavior experience difficult challenges with limited amounts of resources. CPSE graduate students offered behavioral education to 17 families on the DSPD waiting list in the family's homes for 10 weeks. Positive …

Mayan Metate Ethnoarchaeology, Michael T. Searcy

Theses and Dissertations

Manos and metates are ubiquitous at archaeological sites in Mesoamerica. Unfortunately, grinding stones are understudied, and thus, not much is understood about them. Understanding that archaeology is based on the use of analogy to infer past life-ways, little work has been done to create analogies specifically for manos and metates. The purpose of this thesis is to study modern grinding stones used by Mayans living in Guatemala to better understand manos and metates used by ancient peoples. I worked for two field seasons in Guatemala recording the life histories of manos and metates used by the Q'eqchi' and K'iche', two …

The Relationships Among Literacy, Church Activity And Religious Orientation: A Study Of Adult Members Of The Lds Church In Utah County, Bruce R. Brewer

Theses and Dissertations

The study assessed the interplay among literacy, church activity, and religious orientation and examined the extent to which literacy predicts church activity in the presence of private religious behavior. One hundred fifty-seven subjects were administered measures of intrinsic religiousness, extrinsic religiousness, literacy levels and measures of church activity. The findings from this study suggest that literacy is related to activity, but in a way that is more complex than many investigators have considered. The results of the multiple regression analysis helped clarify the ability of literacy to predict church activity in the presence of religious orientation. Results further indicated that …

Map Interactivity: Exploring The Benefits In The Utah Studies Classroom, Whitney Fae Taylor

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis introduces map interactivity as a new learning resource for historical geography subjects. The purpose of the research is to examine the ability of interactive maps to improve the learning process in social studies classrooms in Utah's public schools. An interactive map and paper maps focused on Utah settlement and hypothetical geographical attractors were created for this research. A two-group experiment was conducted in six classes of Utah Studies; the experimental group used an interactive map, and the control group used a series of paper maps and corresponding tables. Students' conceptual knowledge was tested before and after they used …

The Effects Of Direct Supervision On Therapist Behavior: A Functional Analysis, Shawn L. Thurber

Theses and Dissertations

Live (Direct) Supervision has always been key to training therapists. However, little research has been done to determine which type of direct supervision is most effective in changing therapist behavior. This study compared bug-in-the-ear (BITE), phone-in, and computer assisted (CA) supervision. The purpose of this study was to (a) complete functional analysis of each supervision type via an alternating feedback session, to determine each therapists' most effective form of supervision; (b) determine the effect of using the most-effective form of supervision on the therapists' adherence to treatment protocols during follow-up sessions; (c) determine the effect of therapist adherence on client …

Mystery Writers In Foreign Settings: The Literary Devices And Methods Used To Portray Foreign Geographies, Amy Kimball Engar

Theses and Dissertations

A sense of place is important to the construction, believability and success of regional mystery novels. Authentic representation of place is challenging if an author is not originally from the area being portrayed. Despite this, some authors are able to depict foreign places more comprehensively and realistically than others. Professor Gary Hausladen of the University of Nevada, Reno identifies: narrative description, dialogue, iconography, and attention to detail as the basic literary devices that convey sense of place. This thesis questions the manner in which successful mystery novelists writing about foreign places meet Hausladen's model. Specifically, do they use all four …

Preparing Students For Peer Review, Alison Irvine Mcmurry

Theses and Dissertations

In order to enhance the effective use of peer review, I have developed materials to assist teachers in compliance with the standards for Masters' projects enacted by the Department of Linguistics and English Language. Published literature shows that as peer review grows in popularity in both L1 and L2 English writing classes, many researchers and teachers are trying to increase its effectiveness. In some cases it is very effective, while in others it is marginally effective. This has led researchers to ask why. The difference between helpful and less helpful peer review seems to be in the preparation. In studies …