A study of academic achievement differences between the genders

This study seeks to explore the academic achievement gap between male and female students by comparing grade point averages across genders. Specifically, the researcher hypothesized that such a gap exists and that females would academically surpass their male counterparts in the classroom. Participants consisted of 300 students in grades 5, 8, and 11 from a public school district in suburban New Jersey. Grade point average (GPA) was generated by converting letter grades into numbers (4.0-0.0) and then averaged. A two-way between-groups analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed the hypothesis that females have a higher average GPA than males, as a whole (all three grades combined), as well as within each grade itself. The implications of these findings extend past the scope of this article to the educational setting itself. Given that an achievement gap exists, teachers and school administration need to work together with students to close the gap and maximize each student\u27s academic potential

Master of Science

thesisWetlands, known as ciénegas, were once found throughout the basin and range physiographic province in southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico, northern Sonora, and northwestern Chihuahua. These groundwater-dependent wetlands are now largely desiccated due to overgrazing, groundwater depletion, and the resulting incision of streams and rivers. This study consists of four components. First, a more complete inventory of the location of historical ciénegas is compiled. This is accomplished using peer-reviewed journal articles, historical maps, journals from explorers and pioneers, and USGS topographic maps. Second, the geographic extent of the documented ciénegas is hand-digitized through photo interpretation of aerial imagery. Each ciénega is divided by its activity status and the land cover succession path it followed. Third, the zonal statistics for a suite of Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM)-derived indices and elevation derivatives such as slope and aspect are compiled. Geospatial datasets that exhibit low variability among different succession paths are further analyzed as being possible predictor variables for the status or land cover type succession path of a ciénega. The two best predictor variables are the normalized burn ratio (NBR) and the thermal infrared (TIR) band. These two variables are used in a classification tree model to determine the location of other undocumented areas that are likely active ciénegas. The fourth component involves monitoring the trends of inactive, as well as active, ciénegas over the past 25 years using the two most sensitive predictor variables. The interannual variability is indicative of changes in vegetation cover, as well as the degree of saturation of the soil. This component indicates that inactive and active ciénegas have experienced relatively uniform patterns of change that are highly correlated with annual precipitation patterns of the study region. This study results in a more complete inventory of the location and geographic extent of historical ciénegas, as well as a better understanding of the variables that can be used to identify different succession paths of ciénegas and possible undocumented active ciénegas. Additionally, for the first time, the recent trends of change for documented ciénegas have been analyzed using remote sensing techniques. This study serves as a preliminary inventory in what should be a series of studies to gain an understanding of the historical and paleodynamics of ciénegas, as well as possible restoration opportunities across a larger geographic area

Understanding female collegiate athletes' intentions to consume sports supplements: an application of the theory of planned behavior

The Dietary Supplements Health and Education Act (DSHEA) of 1994 made safety and efficacy testing of dietary supplements the responsibility of the consumer. Currently, there exists little data on safety and efficacy of supplements, and there is virtually no data regarding safety and efficacy of supplements in individuals under the age of 18 years. Sales indices suggest sports supplement consumption continues to increase among young athletes, and research indicates young athletes have become the key target for marketing. Additionally, pressures to achieve greater athletic performance or an ideal body image are strong motivators for young athletes. These factors create an environment in which adolescents are likely to consume dangerous sports supplements without being aware of risks associated with supplements. This study was conducted as an attempt to understand factors that motivate young athletes to consume sports supplements. The sample for this study consisted of 207 female collegiate athletes participating in basketball, soccer, cross country, volleyball, and swimming during the 2005-2006 NCAA season. A survey instrument containing four scales measured participants'ÃÂÃÂ behavioral intention, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control regarding the consumption of sports supplements. Behavioral intention, attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) components that, in theory, measure an individual's internal motivations for performance of a behavior. The dependent variable was defined as the intention to consume sports supplements (Behavioral Intention), and attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control were predictor variables. Findings from this study revealed a poor fit for the TPB measurement model. However, the components of the TPB were able to explain 61% of variance in behavioral intention. Additionally, subjective norms were the strongest predictor and perceived behavioral control the weakest. Furthermore, the average female collegiate athlete did not regularly consume sports supplements. Participants claiming to use sports supplements regularly indicated weight loss and gain, fat loss and looking better as primary motivations for consumption. Results indicated the TPB was able to explain a considerable amount of variance in intention to consume sports supplements with body image concerns being primary motivators

Frontier Society- Cedar Creek, Montana 1870-1874

"Over the mountains from Idaho the gold seekers came; from all over the Territory of Montana- through Hell Gate canyon, past Missoula, past the old town of Hell gate and on through Frenchtown. The valley hummed with the news, resounded with the creak of wagons and the voices of drivers, throughout the spring and summer of 1870.

Vester = Tvvs

n/

Effects of elevated carbon dioxide on primary productivity in a Mojave Desert ecosystem

Growth and gas exchange are predicted to be most responsive to future atmospheric CO2 concentrations within and ecosystems. It is hypothesized that elevated CO2 will result in enhanced seasonal growth, increased leaf area and extension of the growing season via increased water-use efficiency (WUE). Greater WUE could result in increased survivorship and productivity of desert shrubs, and may increase the importance of this biome in the global carbon budget. Elevated CO2 is also expected to influence future species distribution and abundance, which could alter structure and function, especially in arid ecosystems. For these reasons, we measured aboveground production, gas exchange, and water relations of species from different functional types in order to evaluate how future atmospheric CO2 concentrations may affect desert shrubs. Elevated CO2 significantly enhanced growth and gas exchange of the dominant evergreen perennial during an exceptionally wet year, but had less effect on spring- and summer-active drought-deciduous shrubs. During dry years, growth and seasonal carbon assimilation rates were much reduced across all functional types. Overall it appears that water availability strongly interacts with CO2 concentration to affect growth and gas exchange. As such, unpredictable and infrequent rainfall patterns typical of the desert southwest may prevent significant CO2 affects on growth in dry years. However, predictions of increased atmospheric CO 2 concentrations and rainfall in the desert southwest may have important implications for the future productivity of the region