Library Instruction and Themed Composition Courses: An Investigation of Factors that Impact Student Learning

Many academic libraries partner with English composition in order to teach first year students skills related to academic research and writing. Due to the partnership between information literacy and first-year writing programs, it is important to evaluate how these programs can best support one another. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of two factors on student information literacy skill development: library instruction and section theme—defined here as class sections of the English 102 (ENG 102) program developed around a central topic selected by the instructor. A random sample of annotated bibliographies from 95 sections of ENG 102 were scored with two information literacy rubrics in order to find out if scores differed between sections based on the variables of library instruction and theme. The results of this study indicate that sections of the ENG 102 program that attended an information literacy instruction session scored significantly higher on the annotated bibliography assignment than sections that did not attend. We also found that themed sections of ENG 102 scored marginally higher on the annotated bibliography than non-themed sections of ENG 102. Implications for further research are discussed, including the potential impact of theme-based writing on information literacy learning

Dimension-breaking for Traveling Waves in Interfacial Flows

Fluid flow models in two spatial dimensions with a one-dimensional interface are known to support overturned traveling solutions. Computational methods of solving the two-dimensional problem are well developed, even in the case of overturned waves. The three-dimensional problem is harder for three prominent reasons. First, some formulations of the two-dimensional problem do not extend to three-dimensions. The technique of conformal mapping is a prime example, as it is very efficient in two dimensions but does not have a three-dimensional equivalent. Second, some three-dimensional models, such as the Transformed Field Expansion method, do not allow for overturned waves. Third, computational time can increase by more than an order of magnitude. For example, the Birkhoff-Rott integral has a cost of O(N2) in two-dimensions but O(N4M2) in three-dimensions, where N is the number of discretized points in the lateral directions and M is the number of truncated summation terms. This study seeks to bridge the gap between efficient two-dimensional numerical solvers and more computationally expensive three-dimensional solvers. The dissertation does so by developing a dimension-breaking continuation method, which is not limited to solving interfacial wave models. The method involves three steps: first, conduct N-dimensional continuation to large amplitude; second, extend the solution trivially to a (N+1)-dimensional solution and solve the linearization; and third, use the linearization to begin (N+1)-dimensional continuation. This method is successfully applied to Kadomtsev-Petviashvili and Akers-Milewski interfacial models and then in a reduced Vortex Sheet interfacial formulation. In doing so, accurate search directions are calculated for use in higher-dimension quasi-Newton solvers

The Development of Novel Electron Transfer Initiated Cyclization (ETIC) Reactions: Discovery of the Diastereoselective ETIC Reaction and Its Application toward the Total Synthesis of Leucascandrolide A

The electron transfer initiated cyclization (ETIC) reaction has been shown to provide the efficient formation of cyclic acetals through the selective activation of carbon-carbon [sigma]-bonds. A simple arithmetical equation has been used to design new substrates with enhanced chemoselectivity and reactivity. The ability to design new cyclization substrates has expanded the scope of the ETIC reaction by providing access to more diverse products. Lowering the oxidation potential of the ETIC substrates led to the development of a ground state chemical-mediated protocol. This also allowed for the incorportation of electron rich olefins as carbon-centered nucleophiles. Substrates which undergo endo-cyclizations have shown excellent levels of stereocontrol in the synthesis of syn-2,6-dialkyl tetrahydropyranones, which are useful building blocks in natural product synthesis.A highly stereoselective sequence has been developed for the synthesis of leucascandrolide A with the key transformation utilizing the diastereoselective endo-ETIC reaction. The homopropargylic ether required for installation of the enol acetate was obtained through the stereoselective opening of a cyclic acetal with allenyltributyltin in the presence of a Lewis acid. A metal mediated addition of acetic acid to the alkyne provided the homobenzylic ether with a suitably tethered enol acetate. The enol acetate was then subjected to the chemical mediated ETIC conditions to afford the desired syn-2,6-tetrahydropyranone as a single diastereomer

Enantioselective Ruthenium-Catalyzed Ring-Closing Metathesis

The first enantioselective ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts have been prepared, and high enantiomeric excesses (up to 90%) are observed in the desymmetrization of achiral trienes. A model consistent with the stereochemical outcome of the reactions is described and suggests side-on olefin binding and reorganization of the halide ligands

Credit-card and check-credit plans at commercial banks

Credit cards ; Checks