Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Digital Rosetta Stone: A Conceptual Model For Maintaining Long-Term Access To Digital Documents, Steven B. Robertson

Theses and Dissertations

Due to the rapid evolution of technology, future digital systems may not be able to read and/or interpret the digital recordings made by older systems, even if those recordings are still in good condition. This thesis addresses the problem of maintaining long-term access to digital documents and provides a methodology for overcoming access difficulties due to technological obsolescence. A review was conducted to determine the long-term access methods that have already been suggested by other researchers. These previously suggested methods are then combined with other ideas that were encountered and conceived while performing research for this project. The combination of …

The Impact Of Changes In Geographic Mobility On The Wages Of The Military Family Between 1985 And 1992, Barry M. Krauss

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine what changes in the geographic mobility of the military family took place between 1985 and 1992, and this mobility's subsequent impact on the labor force participation of the military spouse, and the real wages of military family members. The study showed that mobility was significantly lower for military personnel and their spouses in 1992 than it was in 1985, the labor force participation and real wages for military spouses were greater in 1992 than they were in 1985, and real wages for military personnel declined between 1985 and 1992. A sensitivity analysis …

Predicting Fraudulent Behavior: An Examination Of Characteristics Commonly Exhibited By Fraudulent Dod Contractors, Dwayne P. Sellers

Theses and Dissertations

This study examines the relationship between company size, slack, return on investment, and the frequency of fraudulent behavior. A model is proposed in which an increase in company size and a decrease in company slack and return on investment would increase the frequency of fraudulent behavior. A test of the model showed strong support between a relationship between company size and incidents of fraudulent behavior. Additionally, the results suggest that levels of slack may contribute to the frequency of fraud. Further tests provide no support for the relationship between the decrease in return on investment and the increase in the …

A Model For Successful Reutilization Of A Military Installation: A Case Study Of Gentile Air Force Station, Maria L. Garcia

Theses and Dissertations

Previous research concerning base closure and reutilization focused on the roles of government agencies and the assistance they provided. This study looks at the community and the impact of installation closure. The process of planning for reuse of an installation is difficult and confusing. The guidance provided by the government has changed drastically since the first closures announced in the 1988 Base Realignment and Closure Committee recommendations. This study focuses on the strategy employed by Kettering, OH to successfully reuse Gentile AFS upon closure. As the final part in a longitudinal study, the research focus was lessons learned and implementation …

Guidelines For College And University Publications Directors On Building Effective Partnerships With Printers And Graphic Designers, Susan L. Enzman

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis project was to compose guidelines to help facilitate communication and understanding between graphic designers and printers as they work together to service higher education publication offices.

A review of previous research pertinent to this study was conducted. Original research was undertaken in the form of a mail survey distributed to 100 publication directors/managers at four year colleges and universities throughout the country.

The survey was used to determine how various publications offices operate and to elicit suggestions publication directors/managers have for working effectively with graphic designers and printers.

The core of this project was the …

Effective Motivation Of Front-Line Employees, Regina M. Audio

Theses and Dissertations

Motivating front-line employees to perform at optimum levels is a challenge for managers and business owners. Non-management employees from Southern New Jersey for-profit and non-profit companies responded to a survey to offer comments as to which of six specific types of motivational phrases would best motivate them to perform optimally in common workplace situations involving: quality, teamwork, personal responsibility to organizational policy and procedure, initiative, and customer service issues. Participants considered top performers by their managers were asked to choose which phrase would best motivate them in each situation in an attempt to identify which phrases are most effective in …

Changing Role Of The Female In Mythically Based Fantastic Literature And Films For Young Adults, Deborah Dougherty Dietrich

Theses and Dissertations

Psychoanalysts Sigmund Freud and C.G. Jung first noted the archetypal symbolism to be found in the dreams, myths and legends of people around the world. Bruno Bertelheim, a disciple of Freud, and renowned mythologist Joseph Campbell applied these principles of universal symbolism to help explain the continuing appeal of fairy tale, legend and myth in contemporary society. The thesis addresses the universality of these archetypal messages as mirrored in contemporary fantastic fiction for young adults, showing how the adolescent rite of passage explored in the heroic quest myths of primitive peoples is still used in many works of fantastic literature …

Runaways In Young Adult Fiction – A Survey And Annotated Bibliography, Anna E. Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to compare causes and consequences for runaways in real life with those in young adult fiction, in order to ascertain whether any similarity exists between the two. The thesis also provides an annotated bibliography of young adult books about runaways.

Research was carried out to obtain information about what real runaways must face, and various guides to young adult literature were consulted in order to evaluate fictional runaway lifestyles.

With few exceptions, real lives of runaway children bear very little resemblance to those of their fictional counterparts. In fiction, happy endings (or at least …

A History And Bibliography Of The Lenni Lenape, Theresa Doyle

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this history and bibliography is to promote knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of the Lenni Lenape. This goal will be accomplished by increasing the public's awareness of the availability of materials concerning the Lenape. Through this awareness it will become possible for people to access previously unknown sources.

The historical data covers what is known of the Paleo-Indians up through the arrival of the first European colonists and the final migration of the Lenape people. This coverage includes the controversial Wallum Olum. The bibliography and appendices are divided into sections in order to allow the reader to locate …

Is Access Synonymous With Use?: Evaluation Of Access And Use Of Technology In Salem County High Schools, Romine B. Rosenberger

Theses and Dissertations

The high schools of Salem County were studied for their use of technology in general and the Internet specifically. Literature regarding the effective use of technology in education nationwide was researched. It was found that even though Salem County has access to much technology, it is underutilized, due primarily to lack of thorough professional development. Particular attention was given to Internet technology because of grants received by the county for the express purpose of establishing a local node for use by the schools in the county. A preliminary review of the literature indicated that the scope of the study needed …

Recommendations For A Policy Regarding Online Searching At The Cape May County Library, Linda L. Melroy

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to ascertain and compare the methods used by other New Jersey public libraries in order to best serve their patrons' needs in a technological society. The libraries of today, including Cape May County Public Library, are facing the challenge of providing online services to an ever more sophisticated clientele. At the same time, the funds for these services may be difficult to obtain.

A questionnaire was sent to fifteen New Jersey public libraries, twelve of whom responded. Questions involving the type of online searching being done at their institution were raised. Also questioned were …

Reading Interests Of Fifth And Sixth Grade Boys, Judith E. Sheridan

Theses and Dissertations

Fifth and sixth grade boys were studied to determine their reading interests for the purpose of developing a bibliography of books that the boys had read and enjoyed to use for collection development for the school library. One class of fifth grade students and one class of sixth grade students were surveyed to determine their reading attitudes, habits, and interests. Reading logs were kept during a three month period recording books that the students read during that time and enjoyed. Both boys and girls participated in the data collection portion of the study.

Major findings reinforced the author's perceptions that …

Cd-Rom Technology: How It Is Utilized In K-12 School Library Media Centers, Amy Jo Hufana

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to investigate how CD-ROM technology is utilized in school library media centers in Cape May County, New Jersey and in other locations throughout the United States. A survey has been conducted to supply information about many aspects of CD-ROM use, including the types of hardware and software used, the extent of use of different types of programs, the responsibilities of library media specialists in utilizing and managing CD-ROM resources, and the amount of use by teachers, students, and others. Library media specialists from Cape May County and other locations in New Jersey have responded …

Modern Storytelling: The Power Of Myth Revisited, Laura J. Kaighn

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis paper examines the art of storytelling in its modern form. Its purpose is to evaluate the continued use and worth of fairy tale literature within a modern, industrialized society. Through the use of fairy tale literature and interviews with local storytellers it attempts to redefine storytelling as an essential art form and educational medium.

Storytelling not only perpetuates our cultural norms and values, but also our sense of humanity as well. Storytelling fulfills a deep need for us to define ourselves through our stories, the shells of our societal seeds. The art is experiencing a renaissance, and a …

The Interdisciplinary Approach To Learning: Theory, Design, And Implementation, Kathleen E. Ratz

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to examine a synergistic form of learning known as the integrated curriculum. An interdisciplinary approach to teaching, the integrated curriculum seeks to explore the connections and interrelations that exist between academic subject areas in order to create educational experiences that reflects what We know about the learning process.

Discussed in the thesis are the theoretical and philosophical background of this form of experiential learning, historical attempts at implementation, current thinking on design and implementation, and finally practical applications. Conclusions are drawn from all of the above sources and a list of essential criteria for …

A Study Of The Implications Of The Internet Upon Two-Way Symmetric Communication In Public Relations, Tarek M. El-Kharboutly

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examined the implications and ramifications of the advent of online communication technologies, such as the Internet, on the profession of public relations.

As brokers of information, public relations professionals must adapt to and incorporate online tools into their arsenals. As the consumer public takes to the Internet in search of information, the Internet provides a means by which organizations can gauge which issues are of concern. It is the only alternative to falling out of touch with a restless consumer public that demands ever-higher levels of customer service.

The author presented a case study of the Pentium microprocessor …

A Study Of Public Relations Practice In The Tobacco Industry: Misuse And Social Responsibility, Andrew M. Casper

Theses and Dissertations

The study's major purpose was to improve the quality and reputation of public relations practice in private industry. The study examined needed improvements m public relations by focusing on the ineffectual and negative practices of the tobacco industry, Also, the study reviewed public and media perceptions of tobacco companies.

The research involved telephone inquiries, information from not-for-profit organizations, and a review of 108 publications using the headings, "Public Relations" and "Tobacco Industry."

Other research included an opinion survey administered to 100 undergraduate students at Rowan College of New Jersey.

Survey results found that a majority of students, smokers, and nonsmokers …

A Study Of Meeting Planners' Tactics To Market Conferences, Seminars, And Workshops, Erika March

Theses and Dissertations

This study identified, through secondary research and a written survey, methods to effectively market meetings. The research found patterns in the areas of Communication, Direct Mail, Program Planning, Feedback/Evaluation, and Follow-up. These research areas were used in forming the structure of the survey questions.

The meeting planning survey was sent to 17 meeting planners who were chosen based on a June 1995 ranking in Meeting News as "The 25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry." The 25 represent different types of planners in different industries. These planners were surveyed to obtain marketing ideas from the top meeting planners in …

A Public Relations Plan For The New Jersey Association Of Family And Consumer Sciences Regarding The Association Name Change And Its Impact On The Profession, Linda A. Strieter

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to create a public relations plan to help promote wide acceptance of the name change, Association of Family and Consumer Sciences and a better understanding of the profession's future in New Jersey among its members. For non-Association members, awareness of the name change and its ramifications are the goals.

A scientific random survey of approximately 10 percent of Association members in November 1995 revealed an almost equal split in opinion about the name change among those questioned.

When most of the membership understands the benefits of the name change, the feeling will become more …

Journey: Connections To A Pioneer Past, Judy Shell Busk

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis is a record of a journey into the pioneer past both literally and metaphorically. The physical journey retracing the Oregon and Mormon trails was made in September of 1993, the year I was a National Endowment for the Humanities/Reader's Digest Teacher-Scholar; however, my intellectual and emotional journey into the lives of pioneer women covers several years of study. I compare my life experiences with those of pioneer women whom I studied, using geographical settings on the trail trip as memory triggers. My husband, as my traveling companion, plays an important role in this journey of discovery. Major themes …

Christian Feminist Publications And Structures Of Constraint: A Comparison Of Daughters Of Sarah And Exponent Ii Within The Contexts Of Neo-Evangelicalism And Mormonism, Sasha S. Cluff

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis uses content analysis to compare two conservative Christian feminist publications: Daughters of Sarah, produced by neo-evangelical feminists, and Exponent II, produced by Mormon feminists. Findings are based on insights from three main theories: Debra Minkoff's organization-environment perspective, Nancy Folbre's model of collective action based on structures of constraint, and the church-sect typology from the sociology of religion literature. Although both organizations similarly endeavor to integrate feminist and religious identities, the loose boundaries of evangelicalism allow Daughters of Sarah to explore a more liberal feminist agenda and interact with broader feminist sources while still remaining within the …

Nutritional And Alimentative State Of The Canaviri, Pocohata, Colina Blanca, Puente Arriba And Villa Arriendo, Ingavi Province, Department Of La Paz - 1996, Juana F. Moraima Gonzles Tapia

Theses and Dissertations

The intent of the present work responds to the necessity of the settlers in depressed areas of La Paz's Altiplano in Bolivia of knowing the reality surrounding the unfolding of their lives. The focus takes into account only one part of all that weighs down on them: that part dealing with their nutritional and alimentative state. This study takes in the communities of Canaviri, Pocohata, Colina Blanca, Puente Arriba, and Villa Arriendo of the Ingavi Province in the Department of La Paz. The variable taken into account is the families' nutritional situation; these families possessing the same status in the …

Fears In Children With Chronic Constipation: Reliability And Validity Of The Defecation Anxiety Scale, Elizabeth Page Clawson

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric constipation can lead to various negative emotional and physical consequences including abdominal pain, painful defecation, toileting fears, anxiety about pain and intestinal dysfunction. In addition, constipation can lead to socially compromising and embarrassing situations due to associated overflow incontinence. These unpleasant physical and emotional symptoms may in tum lead to conditioned avoidance behaviors, which serve to further maintain the cycle of stool retention and constipation. Presently, there have not been any studies directly addressing the role of conditioned aversion in the etiology and maintenance of constipation. This study examined the psychometric properties of the Defecation Anxiety Scale (DAS)- a …

The Brigham Young University Folklore Of Hugh Winder Nibley: Gifted Scholar, Eccentric Professor And Latter-Day Saint Spiritual Guide, Jane D. Brady

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the stories which revolve around folk legend Hugh Winder Nibley and what those stories mean to the people of Brigham Young University. Folklore reveals who we are and what is important to us. But, interestingly, folklore tends to reveal more about the person telling the story than about the subject of the story itself. People can't remember every story they hear. The ones they do remember are important to them. The stories are important because they fulfill basic needs of the teller. Such needs are a desire to look up to a hero, a need to fit …

Perceptions Of Coherence And Usability In Environmental Impact Documents As Functions Of Visual And Linguistic Cues, Ronald B. Shankland

Theses and Dissertations

Environmental impact statements (EISs) are prepared so decision makers can consider the potential environmental impacts of a proposed action. The National Environmental Policy Act mandates that EISs be clear, concise, and to the point so decision makers and the lay public can understand them, however, several authors assert these documents do not meet this requirement. To examine the usability of EISs, a 1994 AFIT GEEM student, Jill A. Easterly, altered visual and linguistic discourse elements in portions of sample ElSs and then a pool of readers answered objective questions about passages from these EISs. Easterly measured the effect of presence …

An Investigation Of A Usaf Information Resource Management Community World Wide Web Site, Kristin A. Waldner

Theses and Dissertations

This research project investigated establishing a World Wide Web (WWW) site dedicated to the United States Air Force Information Resource Management (IRM) community. The project determined guidelines for successful, appropriate format and content for such a site. To discover what benefits the IRM community might achieve, the project explored those benefits achieved or expected to be achieved by the business community and by government agencies with established WWW sites. The project also attempted to define an average profile of active duty IRM community Internet and WWW users. The above objectives were accomplished through a literature review and through the use …

Multimedia And Audience: Implications For Executive Summaries, Donna M. Grudziecki

Theses and Dissertations

In an effort to put technical reports into a multimedia format, this thesis explored audience analysis and multimedia issues related to executive summaries. While multimedia has been shown to be effective at conveying complex information in certain environments, little research has been done to apply this technology to technical reporting. This thesis concentrates on the executive summary audience because the executive summary is the most read and most important section of a report. To analyze the audience, I conducted telephone interviews with report readers using an interview form I developed based on Mathes and Stevenson's guidelines for conducting an audience …

A Solid Surface From Which To Explore: The Executive Summary As The Frontispiece Of A Technical Hyperdocument, Alicia M. Williams

Theses and Dissertations

This research analyzes the purpose and organization of a well-written executive summary, reviews the characteristics of hypermedia, and compares the strengths and weaknesses of a typical executive summary published originally on paper and now under consideration for transition to hypermedia in order to determine which elements of an executive summary are essential before effective transition to hypermedia. The executive summary of a technical report is a stand-alone description of what was done, how it was done, what the results were, why they matter, and where further information is found in the report body. Executive summaries have a wider audience than …

The Foundation Of United States Security Assistance To Egypt: 1969-1979, Donald S. Massey

Theses and Dissertations

This study sought to identify the role of U.S. foreign policy in shaping Egypt's transition from Soviet economic and military aid to U.S. security assistance from 1969 to 1979 and the factors shaping that transition. An historical analysis of the Nixon, Ford, and Carter Administrations and their foreign policy towards Egypt and the Middle East during the period in question was employed to complete this study. The researcher determined that U.S. diplomacy and dialogue in negotiating an Egyptian-Israeli peace resulted in the end to Soviet economic and military aid to Egypt. During the negotiating process, U.S. economic and military aid …

U.S. Security Assistance To Latin America, Valerie S. Payne

Theses and Dissertations

The United States employs security assistance as an instrument of foreign policy. This thesis examines how security assistance was used to achieve U.S. foreign policy objectives in Latin America since the end of World War II. Qualitative analysis was used consisting of historical and archival research of government documents and secondary sources. A literature review was conducted to discover general trends concerning security assistance to include its establishment as an arm of foreign policy, its problems, and its purpose. Presidential policies toward Latin America are analyzed during and after World War II, to include Kennedy's Alliance for Progress, Nixon Doctrine, …