Search Results

open access

Ability Estimation Under Different Item Parameterization and Scoring Models

Description: A Monte Carlo simulation study investigated the effect of scoring format, item parameterization, threshold configuration, and prior ability distribution on the accuracy of ability estimation given various IRT models. Item response data on 30 items from 1,000 examinees was simulated using known item parameters and ability estimates. The item response data sets were submitted to seven dichotomous or polytomous IRT models with different item parameterization to estimate examinee ability. The accur… more
Date: May 2002
Creator: Si, Ching-Fung B.
open access

Abstract Moments of Art Found in the Ordinary

Description: This paper is an experiment using digital video to locate and identify the abstract in everyday life and nature. The abstract moment occurs when the image that is captured by video loses its connection with the original context, allowing the images to be viewed in an entirely new way. The abstract moment is initiated by a transformative instant, that instant in which perception is altered and the viewer sees the intended content of composition of light and sound. The project contains four digit… more
Date: December 2002
Creator: Kraft, Stuart
open access

Adolescent Psychopathy in an Adjudicated Male Population: The Role of Sensation Seeking, Impulsivity, and Externalizing Disorders

Description: Psychopathy, as conceptualized by Cleckley (1941), describes a constellation of psychological and behavioral correlates including superficial charm, untruthfulness, lack of remorse or shame, poor judgment, and failure to learn from experience. Based on Cleckley's initial work, Hare (1991) developed a two-factor model of psychopathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles that sensation seeking, impulsivity, ADHD, conduct disorder, and oppositional defiant disorder have on adol… more
Date: August 2002
Creator: Vitacco, Michael J.
open access

Afterward: Making Meaning After a Frightening Near-Death Experience

Description: Abstract: The routes by which individuals attribute meaning to a near-death experience (NDE) appear to be similar, whether the experience was radiant or terrifying. This article explores three such avenues in relation to frightening experiences. I argue that resisting a terrifying NDE is likely to intensify fearfulness in an individual, and also that a similar effect occurs within society when this type of experience is resisted and misunderstood. The article concludes with an approach to sy… more
Date: Winter 2002
Creator: Bush, Nancy Evans
open access

Agreement with Russian Federation concerning polar bear population : message from the President of the United States transmitting Agreement between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Russian Federation on the Conservation and Management of the Alaska-Chukotka Polar Bear Population, done at Washington on October 16, 2000.

Description: This treaty is an agreement between the United States and Russia to work towards a legal and scientific frame work for the conservation and management of polar bears .
Date: 2002
Creator: United States. President (2001-2009 : Bush) & Powell, Colin L.
open access

Alcohol and Other Drugs: Attitudes and Use Among Graduate/Professional Students at a Health Science Center

Description: Alcohol and other drug use continue to be a major issue on college and university campuses. Few studies have examined alcohol and other drug related issues for a graduate or professional student population. This study examines attitudes, incidents, and consequences of alcohol and other drug use among students enrolled at an academic heath science center. This study incorporated a descriptive research design and utilized the CORE Alcohol and Drug Survey for the collection of data. The data were … more
Date: August 2002
Creator: Moorman, Mark Thomas
open access

An Analysis of Periodic Rhythmic Structures in the Music of Steve Reich and György Ligeti

Description: The compositions of Steve Reich and György Ligeti both contain periodic rhythmic structures. Although periods are not usually easily perceived, the listener may perceive their combinations in a hierarchy of rhythmic structures. This document is an attempt to develop an analytical method that can account for this hierarchy in periodic music. I begin with an overview of the features of Reich's and Ligeti's music that contribute to the property of periodicity. I follow with a discussion of the mu… more
Date: August 2002
Creator: Isgitt, David
open access

Analysis Of Sequential Barycenter Random Probability Measures via Discrete Constructions

Description: Hill and Monticino (1998) introduced a constructive method for generating random probability measures with a prescribed mean or distribution on the mean. The method involves sequentially generating an array of barycenters that uniquely defines a probability measure. This work analyzes statistical properties of the measures generated by sequential barycenter array constructions. Specifically, this work addresses how changing the base measures of the construction affects the statististics of m… more
Date: December 2002
Creator: Valdes, LeRoy I.
open access

An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Computer Assisted Instruction in General Chemistry at an Urban University.

Description: The science-major General Chemistry sequence offered at the University of Houston has been investigated with respect to the effectiveness of recent incorporation of various levels of computer technology. As part of this investigation, questionnaire responses, student evaluations and grade averages and distributions from up to the last ten years have been analyzed and compared. Increased use of web-based material is both popular and effective, particularly with respect to providing extra informa… more
Date: May 2002
Creator: McGuffey, Angela
open access

And Drops of Rain Fall Like Tears: A Composition for Electroacoustic Music and Video

Description: And Drops of Rain Fall Like Tears is a composition for electroacoustic music with an optional ambient video component. The composition consists of a single movement electroacoustic work twenty-two minutes in duration. The piece creates an immersive sonic environment within the confines of a typical concert space, thereby recreating the powerful temper and subtle beauty of nature from different sonic perspectives. The paper is divided into four chapters, each discussing an element of the piece … more
Date: May 2002
Creator: Thompson, Michael Allen
open access

An Annotated Bibliography of Mobile Agents in Networks

Description: The purpose of this thesis is to present a comprehensive colligation of applications of mobile agents in networks, and provide a baseline association of these systems. This work has been motivated by the fact that mobile agent systems have been deemed proficuous alternatives in system applications. Several mobile agent systems have been developed to provide scalable and cogent solutions in network-centric applications. This thesis examines some existing mobile agent systems in core networking a… more
Date: December 2002
Creator: Sriraman, Sandhya
open access

Anything Like Us

Description: Anything Like Us is a collection of poems with a critical introduction. In this introduction, I explore modern alternatives to Romantic and Neo-Romantic lyric expression. I conclude that a contemporary lyric that desires to be, in some fashion, about itself, must exhibit an acceptance of the mediating influences of time and language, while cultivating an inter-subjective point-of-view that does not insist too much on the authority of a single, coherent voice. The poems in Anything Like Us r… more
Date: August 2002
Creator: Roth, Matthew
open access

Application of the Finite Element Method to Some Simple Systems in One and Two Dimensions.

Description: The finite element method (FEM) is reviewed and applied to the one-dimensional eigensystems of the isotropic harmonic oscillator, finite well, infinite well and radial hydrogen atom, and the two-dimensional eigensystems of the isotropic harmonic oscillator and the propagational modes of sound in a rectangular cavity. Computer codes that I developed were introduced and utilized to find accurate results for the FEM eigensolutions. One of the computer codes was modified and applied to the one-dime… more
Date: May 2002
Creator: Hunnell, Jason C.

Application of Thermomechanical Characterization Techniques to Bismuth Telluride Based Thermoelectric Materials

Description: The thermoelectric properties of bismuth telluride based thermoelectric (TE) materials are well-characterized, but comparatively little has been published on the thermomechanical properties. In this paper, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and differential scanning calorimetry data for bismuth telluride based TE materials is presented. The TE materials' tan delta values, indicative of viscoelastic energy dissipation modes, approached that of glassy or crystalline polymers, were greater than ten… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: August 2002
Creator: White, John B.

Approach to Quantum Information starting from Bell's Inequality (Part I) and Statistical Analysis of Time Series Corresponding to Complex Processes (Part II)

Description: I: Quantum information obeys laws that subtly extend those governing classical information, making possible novel effect such as cryptography and quantum computation. Quantum computations are extremely sensitive to disruption by interaction of the computer with its environment, but this problem can be overcome by recently developed quantum versions of classical error-correcting codes and fault-tolerant circuits. Based on these ideas, the purpose of this paper is to provide an approach to quantu… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: May 2002
Creator: Failla, Roberto
open access

Approaches to Nature Aesthetics: East Meets West

Description: Nature aesthetics is examined as an approach to environmental ethics. The characteristics of proper nature appreciation show that every landscape can be appreciated impartially in light of the dynamic processes of nature. However, it is often claimed that natural beauty decreases if humans interfere into nature. This claim leads to the separation of human culture and nature, and limits the number of landscapes which can be protected in terms of aesthetic value. As a solution to this separation,… more
Date: December 2002
Creator: Toyoda, Mitsuyo

Are the Needs of North Dakota's Aging Population with Developmental Disabilities Being Overlooked?

Description: North Dakota is faced with the challenge of meeting the needs of its growing population of elderly persons aging with a developmental disability. The challenge of creating new service models presents itself to professionals in the fields of Aging and Developmental Disabilities. Traditionally, the aging person with a developmental disability has been sent to nursing homes or grouped into community programs with younger persons with developmental disability. North Dakota is looking toward the fut… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: May 2002
Creator: Clark, Amy Klein
open access

Assessing the Effect of Inquiry-Based Professional Development on Science Achievement Tests Scores.

Description: This study analyzed student test scores to determine if teacher participation in an inquiry-based professional development was able to make a statistically significant difference in student achievement levels. Test scores for objectives that assessed the critical thinking skills and problem-solving strategies modeled in a science inquiry institute were studied. Inquiry-based experiences are the cornerstones for meeting the science standards for scientific literacy. State mandated assessment tes… more
Date: December 2002
Creator: Dickson, Teresa K.
open access

Assessing the Efficacy of Learning Communities at Four North Texas Community Colleges.

Description: This observational study involving intact groups and convenient sampling examined learning communities at four North Texas Community Colleges. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a significant difference in cathectic learning climate, inimical ambiance, academic rigor, affiliation and structure among students in learning communities and freestanding classes. Learning communities are gaining nationwide popularity as instruments of reform in Higher Education. Recent studies ha… more
Date: August 2002
Creator: Dodd, Patricia M.
open access

An Assessment of the Parent Orientation Program at the University of North Texas

Description: Although most institutions offer a parent program option to the orientation program, there has been little formalized research into the quality, planning or programming of parent orientation. There has been very little research into the impact parent orientation has on parents and whether or not they feel that such programs have met their needs, particularly by gender, minority status, educational background, or by geographic distance from the institution. This study seeks to determine the effe… more
Date: December 2002
Creator: With, Elizabeth

Atals of International Freshwater Agreements

Description: Water is one of the most widely shared resources on the planet, and the most vital for human survival after oxygen. It has a capacity to unite people that share a source of water, or to incite conflict among them as they compete for it. The latter, reaching the point of ‘water wars’ has become increasingly common in the media, but the contents of this Atlas show that treaties, not wars, are the norm.The Atlas is a step in the consolidation and dissemination of information about shared water tre… more
Date: 2002
Creator: United Nations Environment Programme

Attrition Rates of Teachers Trained in Alternative Teacher Certification Programs, Those Trained in the Centers for the Professional Development of Teachers, and Those Trained in Traditional University Programs.

Description: This study uses teacher employment data provided by the State Board for Educator Certification to examine the similarities and differences between initial employment and attrition rates of teachers trained in three prevalent types of Texas teacher preparation programs; alternative certification programs (ACP), the centers for professional development of teachers (CPDT), and traditional certification programs (TCP). The population for the study includes all Texas teachers who completed training … more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: May 2002
Creator: Harris, Steven A.

Automatic Software Test Data Generation

Description: In software testing, it is often desirable to find test inputs that exercise specific program features. Finding these inputs manually, is extremely time consuming, especially, when the software being tested is complex. Therefore, there have been numerous attempts automate this process. Random test data generation consists of generating test inputs at random, in the hope that they will exercise the desired software features. Often the desired inputs must satisfy complex constraints, and this mak… more
Access: Restricted to UNT Community Members. Login required if off-campus.
Date: December 2002
Creator: Munugala, Ajay Kumar
Back to Top of Screen