Attitudes Towards Non-Native English In The United States: An Analysis Of Second Language Speakers And English-Only Policies.

This study focuses on how attitudes in the U.S. towards native English, non-native English, and other languages affect and reflect the population that speaks them in an effort to record the attitudes and experiences of bilingual native and non-native English speakers particularly relating to their interactions with native English speakers and their feelings about and identification with English and the other language(s) they speak. 25 recorded in-person and video conference interviews were conducted with native and non-native English speakers in and around Boone, North Carolina that focus on how these individuals interact with English and other languages within the United States. My findings suggest that bilingual L1 English speakers, particularly Anglo Americans, are more highly valued by American society than Americans who may have greater levels of fluency in their languages, but are non-native English speakers, and that this linguistic discrimination is supported by modern racial attitudes and the resulting racialization of linguistic and cultural characteristics in the United States

Gender Effect Through Media: A Twitter Analysis Of The NFL's Carolina Panthers

The National Football League (NFL) is the most popular sport in the United States (Norman, 2018). Of the NFL’s passionate fan base, 46 percent are women (Bazilian, 2014). This research analyzes Twitter content from the NFL’s Carolina Panthers, examining the discrepancy between Panthers communication strategies with male and female audiences from January and February, 2018. Word concordance tests found that male pronouns occurred more than female pronouns across the months of January and February. There was an increase found in female pronoun usage in February. Linguistic inquiry and word count modeling transformed Twitter content to variables; “clout” was a unique significant predictor of “drive” in January. In February both “clout” and “tone” are significant predictors. Sentiment analysis for February found the level of negative sentiment in communication decreased, while the level of positive sentiment increased. These tests demonstrate that there is an increase in tone and positive sentiment in February, while there is a decrease in negative sentiment in the same month. February data also indicated there was an increase in the use of female pronouns. NFL teams can use this information to assess gender communication. That may include the increased use of female pronouns as well as increase the use of language that contains positive tone in its communication

My Hair

Hair is a "children's book" designed for the Graphic Design Class by Professor Clarence Goss

Optimization of the fabrication parameters for SERS-active forensic evidence swabs

Currently, in the forensic field there is a need for development to improve biological evidence screening. Although, biological evidence screening is not required for DNA analysis it can give insight for crime scene reconstruction therefore providing valuable forensic evidence. Many current screening tests have several limitations such as low specificity, lack of sensitivity and sample destruction. The proposed research introduces a method to collect and identify body fluid that is not only reliable but non-destructive to the sample. This can be achieved by fabrication of SERS-active forensic swabs via a silver nanoparticle synthesis. The modified swabs allow for rapid sample identification via surfaced enhance Raman spectroscopy. Several studies were performed to further enhance the synthesis reaction. A multi-point Raman measurement method was developed for Raman intensity comparison between varying synthesis conditions. Surface coverage of swab fibers and total mass of silver on swabs was also analyzed. A synthesis reaction at 80 ºC for 90 minutes was found to be the optimal parameters however, additional research may be needed to confirm these results. Lastly, the effects of silver contamination on DNA extraction and quantification were assessed. It was also concluded that the SERS-active forensic evidence swabs performed just as well as plain swabs when used for DNA extraction and quantification

Cryptography In Creative Media

This paper argues the value of a creative approach to encryption. The first part of the text includes a survey of historical and modern examples of encryption in art, writing, and music to demonstrate the merit and purpose of cryptography in creative media. The second portion of the text relates an original musical method of encryption developed by the author. The purpose of this study and development is to identify and provide a creative solution to some musical cryptographic issues. There are many existing problems in other methods of musical encryption that have been produced to date. For example, they are easy to decrypt, are not well applied to long messages, or are too complicated to use for people who do not understand music well. This paper explains why the author’s method is a unique and serviceable solution to these problems, using both visual and auditory examples

A Survey Of School Attendance In Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 1954-1955

The relationship of the attendance issue to various school problems has created a need for statistical data relating to the factors of school attendance. The purpose of this study was to survey the school attendance in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina for 1954-1955 in an attempt to determine the status of attendance, to ascertain the organization for the administration of attendance, to derive major causes for non-attendance, and to score individual cases of perfect attendance and excessive absence

The Latent Structure of Social Anxiety Disorder: A Taxometric Analysis

Debate exists regarding whether social anxiety is most accurately conceptualized as a categorical or dimensional phenomenon, and existing taxometric research has generated equivocal evidence. Further, researchers have yet to examine the latent structure of specific and generalized forms of social anxiety. The present study sought to extend previous research by further examining the latent structure of social anxiety, as well as the specific and generalized types, in a large nonclinical sample of adults (n = 2,019). Three taxometric procedures (MAXCOV, MAMBAC, and L-Mode) were applied to indicators derived from two commonly used measures of social fears. Results yielded convergent evidence of a dimensional structure for social anxiety, with specific and generalized social fears also exhibiting continuous relationships with milder social fears. The implications of these findings for the assessment, diagnosis, classification, and treatment of social anxiety are discussed

Investigating Moral Underpinnings Of Attitudes About Abortion

The present study examines the ways in which moral values, specifically purity and fairness, may influence individual attitudes about abortion. Participants were asked to complete the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (MFQ) and read a scenario created for the purposes of this study about a hypothetical woman who decides to have an abortion. After reading this, participants rated how warmly they felt towards this woman, how they perceived her moral character, to what extent they believed she deserved blame, and lastly, whether they believed abortion access today should remain the same or to what extent they felt it should be increased or decreased. We hypothesized that those who endorsed purity values would be more likely to feel less warmly toward the woman in the story, rate her moral character negatively, think she deserved more blame, and support a decrease in abortion access. Conversely, we expected those who endorsed fairness would feel more warmth, report higher rankings of moral character, attribute less blame, and support an increase in abortion access. The results supported these predictions and interestingly, the moral values of purity and fairness remain the main predictor of one’s attitudes on abortion, even when controlling for political ideology. This study could have implications for weakening the partisan divide regarding abortion debates and suggestions for future studies on this topic

Prostitution And Trafficking For Sexual Exploitation: A Case Study Of The Republic Of South Africa And The Kingdom Of The Netherlands

This thesis examines the issues of sex trafficking in South Africa and the Netherlands through an investigation of the relevant policies and laws on sex trafficking and prostitution in the context of existing international human rights instruments. It also addresses the evolution of human rights policy in the context of trafficking for sexual exploitation, analyzing the crime through a feminist exchange theory lens and Wallerstein’s (2013) world system analysis. This research centers on the relationship between international law and national law, concentrating on the socio-political forces and the enforcement of those laws. Policy effectiveness is measured through quantitative data on sexual exploitation provided by the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (2018) and opinion data provided by the European Values Study (2019) and the World Values Survey (2014)

Determining sex offender risk to public safety : a survey of superior court judges hearing petitions for removal from the North Carolina sex offender registry

Under Finding of Fact 6 of the Petition and Order for Termination of Sex Offender Registration, North Carolina Superior Court Judges are required to make a determination of the potential risk posed by offenders petitioning the Court for removal from NC sex offender registry. Among the requirements to grant removal, these Judges are required by the standards of the petition and General Statues to find that “the petitioner is not a current or potential threat to public safety” (AOC-CR-262, IV,(6); N.C.G.S. 14-208.12A(1)(3)). Participants of this study are NC Superior Court Judges who were surveyed regarding their experiences presiding over hearings of petitions for termination of sex offender registration. Building on findings of a previous survey of NC Superior Court Judges, this study looked to identify the types of information available to Judges on which to base the required determination of the petition, and the perceived importance of this evidentiary information to determining the potential threat a petitioner may pose to public safety. Survey results were examined relative to accepted research literature on risk factors and associations of information (that might be available during removal hearings) to the risk of sexual recidivism. Results of actuarial risk assessments may not always be available or preferable to a judge for the specific case. Some researchers (Hanson & Morton-Bourgon, 2009; Knight & Thornton, 2007) have suggested a best practice for the assessment of risks related to recidivism is to include an analysis of dynamic, changeable risk factors in combination with static factors. Judges inherently use a combination of deliberative thinking and structured professional judgement in their decision-making as Triers of Fact (Guthrie, Rachlinski, & Wistrich, 2007). For the purposes of North Carolina Superior Court Judges deliberating the question of potential threat posed by an offender petitioning for removal from the NCSOR, knowledge of the static and dynamic risk associations relevant to the individual case information available to them may prove beneficial to assist in the difficult determination with which they are tasked. This thesis examined judicial perceptions of the types of information (e.g., demographics, criminal history) and information sources (e.g., records, testimony, reports) available as evidentiary material for the determination of a petitioner’s potential risk to public safety. Survey results offer a window into Judges’ perceptions of the level of importance and availability of certain types of information, relative to judicial decision-making during hearings of petitions for termination of sex offender registration. Findings suggest judges might benefit from access to a structured guide to research on factors identified as having empirically validated associations with sexual reoffending. When tasked with making a determination of offender’s potential risks to public safety (as required under N.C.G. S. 14-208.12A (1a)(3)), a better understanding of risk factors may assist judges in recognizing the most pertinent information and information sources (e.g., records) for identifying the presence of specific risk factors applicable to the case before them. Results are further discussed relative to the research questions raised herein. The implications of Finding of Fact 6 of the petition and related legislation, comparative to established research on risk factors for sexual recidivism, and the concerns of NC Superior Court Judges presiding over hearings for termination of sex offender registration are discussed. Conclusions call for future research and a practical application in the form of an informative guide to factors relevant to risk, to assist Judges tasked with this determination of petitioner risk required by the standards of removal hearings under N.C.G.S. 14-208.12A