View All Items

Title: A CONTENT ANALYSIS OF JIHADIST MAGAZINES: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES.
Creator: Udani, Catalina M, Matusitz, Jonathan, Neuberger, Lindsay; Reynolds, Ted, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: During its violent spread across the Middle East, the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) amassed both a local and international following in large part due to its usage of emergent media distribution. Beginning in 2014, ISIS's Ministry of Media published an English-language magazine, Dabiq, disseminating its issues through online platforms. Dabiq and its successor Rumiyah both serve as propagandistic recruitment material for ISIS's international community as well as broadcasting the...
Show moreDuring its violent spread across the Middle East, the Islamic State of Iraq and Sham (ISIS) amassed both a local and international following in large part due to its usage of emergent media distribution. Beginning in 2014, ISIS's Ministry of Media published an English-language magazine, Dabiq, disseminating its issues through online platforms. Dabiq and its successor Rumiyah both serve as propagandistic recruitment material for ISIS's international community as well as broadcasting the message of the jihadist movement to ISIS's enemies. This study analyzed ISIS's publications using a qualitative content analysis in order to identify jihadist recruitment strategies through the perspectives of agenda-setting theory, the diffusion of innovations, symbolic convergence theory, and speech codes theory. These communication theories characterize the roles that civilizational conflict, population demographics, narrative themes, and emergent media play in the diffusion of the jihadist movement. This study samples the textual content and imagery of issues of Dabiq and Rumiyah, using thematic analysis to procedurally code the data by recognizing shared characteristics and concepts. The fundamental goal of this study is to gain a greater understanding of the way ISIS, its members, and the jihadist movement communicate their intentions, with the hope of preventing further recruitment and radicalization. The two following research questions drive this study: (1) What themes are present in the ISIS publications of Dabiq and Rumiyah? (2) How do the themes of these publications vary over time?
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFH2000351, ucf:52905
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFH2000351

Title: Gender and Conflict in Long-Term Romantic Relationships.
Creator: Hamlin, Emily, Sandoval, Jennifer, Parrish, Adam, Hastings, Sally, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Conflict is inevitable, but not inherently negative. All relationships face conflict with some frequency and long-term romantic partnerships are no exception. This exploratory qualitative study investigated conflict types, approaches, and affective components using digital conflict journals. Participants logged their relational conflict for one month in order to gain insight into the communication practices and conflict perceptions of couples. A conflict cycle and sensemaking framework was...
Show moreConflict is inevitable, but not inherently negative. All relationships face conflict with some frequency and long-term romantic partnerships are no exception. This exploratory qualitative study investigated conflict types, approaches, and affective components using digital conflict journals. Participants logged their relational conflict for one month in order to gain insight into the communication practices and conflict perceptions of couples. A conflict cycle and sensemaking framework was applied to identify patterns and best practices.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007187, ucf:52262
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007187

Title: THE RHETORIC OF THE REGIONAL IMAGE: INTERPRETING THE VISUAL PRODUCTS OF REGIONAL PLANNNING.
Creator: Torres, Alissa, Bowdon, Melody, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The Rhetoric of the Regional Image: Interpreting the Visual Products of Regional Planning investigates the manner in which visual conventions and visual contexts of regional visioning scenarios affect their interpretation by urban and regional planners, who use visual communication to meet the technical and rhetorical demands of their professional practice. The research assesses Central FloridaÃ‚Â's Ã‚Â"How Shall We Grow?Ã‚Â" regional...
Show moreThe Rhetoric of the Regional Image: Interpreting the Visual Products of Regional Planning investigates the manner in which visual conventions and visual contexts of regional visioning scenarios affect their interpretation by urban and regional planners, who use visual communication to meet the technical and rhetorical demands of their professional practice. The research assesses Central FloridaÃ‚Â's Ã‚Â"How Shall We Grow?Ã‚Â" regional land use scenario using focus groups and interviews with planning professionals, a corresponding survey of community values, and rhetorical analysis to explore the Ã‚Â"How Shall We Grow?Ã‚Â" scenario as persuasive communication. The Rhetoric of the Regional Image proposes specific recommendations for technology-based visual communication and scenario development in urban and regional planning practice, while contributing to literature in technical communication and rhetoric by examining plannersÃ‚Â' professional communication within their discourse community.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003511, ucf:48943
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003511

Title: THE INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE CONTENT AREAS AND ADOLESCENT MOTIVATION.
Creator: Blackwell, Lindsey, Zygouris-Coe, Vicky, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This study was designed to investigate the types of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) integrated into the content area classrooms of two local high schools, and whether the use of these ICTs motivated adolescent students to read and write in the content areas. The investigator created a student survey, student, teacher, and other support faculty interview protocols, and a classroom observation protocol to collect data for the study. The investigator faced several challenges...
Show moreThis study was designed to investigate the types of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) integrated into the content area classrooms of two local high schools, and whether the use of these ICTs motivated adolescent students to read and write in the content areas. The investigator created a student survey, student, teacher, and other support faculty interview protocols, and a classroom observation protocol to collect data for the study. The investigator faced several challenges which prevented her from spending adequate time in the schools. Due to these challenges, sufficient data was not obtained to form conclusions about the research questions. This thesis will present the review of literature, methodology, and plan for completing the study in the future.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003554, ucf:48914
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003554

Title: A MIDDLE SCHOOL MATHEMATICS TEACHER'S EXPLORATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENT-TEACHER COMMUNICATION AND STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT.
Creator: Pierre Gilles, Viana, Dieker, Lisa, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The purpose of this research study was to increase the overall achievement gains of my students who are currently receiving overall grades below a 69% in my middle school mathematics class by promoting parental involvement. The purpose of my action-research study was to answer the following three research questions: 1. What changes occur in students' test scores and overall grades when a variety of parental contacts are made over a six-week period? 2. How can I promote parental involvement? 3...
Show moreThe purpose of this research study was to increase the overall achievement gains of my students who are currently receiving overall grades below a 69% in my middle school mathematics class by promoting parental involvement. The purpose of my action-research study was to answer the following three research questions: 1. What changes occur in students' test scores and overall grades when a variety of parental contacts are made over a six-week period? 2. How can I promote parental involvement? 3. What can I do to educate parents on how to become more effectively involved in their child's education? To answer these questions I selected ten parents, whose children were currently receiving grades below a 69% in 7th grade mathematics and who have not contacted me after the first nine weeks of the semester. I used three different methods to contact the parents, phones call, emails, and notes in students' planners. All three methods showed a lack of parental feedback and involvement. Nevertheless, five students showed an increase in the second marking period, four showed a decrease, and one stayed the same.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003613, ucf:48872
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003613

Title: Computationally Efficient Digital Backward Propagation for Fiber Nonlinearity Compensation.
Creator: Zhu, Likai, Li, Guifang, Schulzgen, Axel, Likamwa, Patrick, Wei, Lei, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The next generation fiber transmission system is limited by fiber nonlinearity. A distributed nonlinearity compensation method, known as Digital Backward Propagation (DBP), is necessary for effective compensation of the joint effect of dispersion and nonlinearity. However, in order for DBP to be accurate, a large number of steps are usually required for long-haul transmission, resulting in a heavy computational load.In real time DBP implementation, the FIR filters can be used for dispersion...
Show moreThe next generation fiber transmission system is limited by fiber nonlinearity. A distributed nonlinearity compensation method, known as Digital Backward Propagation (DBP), is necessary for effective compensation of the joint effect of dispersion and nonlinearity. However, in order for DBP to be accurate, a large number of steps are usually required for long-haul transmission, resulting in a heavy computational load.In real time DBP implementation, the FIR filters can be used for dispersion compensation and account for most of the computation per step. A method of designing a complementary filter pair is proposed. The individual errors in the frequency response of the two filters in a complementary filter pair cancel each other. As a result, larger individual filter error can be tolerated and the required filter length is significantly reduced.Unequal step size can be used in DBP to minimize the number of steps. For unrepeatered transmission with distributed Raman amplification, the Raman gain as a function of the distance and the effective fiber length of each DBP step need to be calculated by solving the differential equations of Raman amplification. The split-step DBP is performed only for transmission where the signal power is high.In comparison with solving the nonlinear Schrodinger equation (NLSE) for the total field of the WDM signal, solving the coupled NLSE requires a smaller step number and a lower sampling rate. In addition, the phase-locking between the local oscillators is not necessary for solving the coupled NLSE. The XPM compensation of WDM long-haul transmission by solving the coupled NLSE is experimentally demonstrated.At the optimum power level of fiber transmission, the total nonlinear phase shift is on the order of 1 radian. Therefore, for transoceanic fiber transmission systems which consist of many ((>)100) amplified fiber spans, the nonlinear effects in each span are weak. As a result, the optical waveform evolution is dominated by the dispersion. Taking advantage of the periodic waveform evolution in periodically dispersion managed fiber link, the DBP of K fiber spans can be folded into one span with K times the nonlinearity. This method can be called (")distance-folded DBP("). Under the weakly nonlinear assumption, the optical waveform repeats at locations where accumulated dispersions are identical. Consequently, the nonlinear behavior of the optical signal also repeats at locations of identical accumulative dispersion. Hence for a fiber link with arbitrary dispersion map, the DBP steps can be folded according to the accumulated dispersion. Experimental results show considerable savings in computation using this (")dispersion-folded DBP(") method. Simulation results show that the dramatically reduced computational load makes the nonlinearity-compensated dispersion-managed fiber link a competitive candidate for the next-generation transmission systems.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0004492, ucf:49272
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0004492

Title: HUMANIZING TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION WITH METAPHOR.
Creator: McClure, Ashley, Jones, Dan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis explores how metaphors can humanize a technical document and more effectively facilitate user comprehension. The frequent use of metaphor in technical communication reminds us that the discipline is highly creative and rhetorical. Theory demonstrates that a technical text involves interpretation and subjectivity during both its creation by the technical communicator and its application by the user. If employed carefully and skillfully, metaphor can be a powerful tool to ensure...
Show moreThis thesis explores how metaphors can humanize a technical document and more effectively facilitate user comprehension. The frequent use of metaphor in technical communication reminds us that the discipline is highly creative and rhetorical. Theory demonstrates that a technical text involves interpretation and subjectivity during both its creation by the technical communicator and its application by the user. If employed carefully and skillfully, metaphor can be a powerful tool to ensure users' needs are met during this process. The primary goal of technical communication is to convey information to an audience as clearly and efficiently as possible. Because of the often complex nature of technical content, users are likely to feel alienated, overwhelmed, or simply uninterested if the information presented seems exceedingly unfamiliar or complicated. If users experience any of these reactions, they are inclined to abandon the document, automatically rendering it unsuccessful. I identify metaphor as a means to curtail such an occurrence. Using examples from a variety of technical communication genres, I illustrate how metaphors can humanize a technical document by establishing a strong link between the document and its users.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002948, ucf:47979
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002948

Title: DESIGNING FOR MULTICULTURAL AND INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCES: CREATING CULTURALLY-INTELLIGENT VISUAL RHETORIC AND OVERCOMING ETHNOCENTRISM.
Creator: Moore, Bridget, Jones, Dan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Various cultures interpret visual rhetoric differently; therefore, technical communicators must adjust their rhetoric accordingly by creating effective visual rhetoric for their international and multicultural audiences. Although there is a great deal of research in the field regarding how to create effective visual rhetorical rhetoric, this research often fails to take into international and multicultural audiences into consideration. Many visual rhetoric solutions proposed in technical...
Show moreVarious cultures interpret visual rhetoric differently; therefore, technical communicators must adjust their rhetoric accordingly by creating effective visual rhetoric for their international and multicultural audiences. Although there is a great deal of research in the field regarding how to create effective visual rhetorical rhetoric, this research often fails to take into international and multicultural audiences into consideration. Many visual rhetoric solutions proposed in technical communication involve Ã‚Â"catch allÃ‚Â" approaches that do little to communicate to people of non-Western cultures and can even serve to offend or confuse international and multicultural audiences. These solutions are generated by a globalization mindset, but are not realistic when we acknowledge how varied technical communication audiences are with regard to culture. The globalization approach also fails unless technical communicators intend to limit the reach of their communication to certain types of Western audiences. To create the most useful visual rhetoric, technical communicators must learn to use color, graphics, icons/symbols, and layouts (web and print) appropriately for audiences. They must learn more about different types of cultures (individualistic or collectivistic, universalist or particularist, high-context or low-context, high uncertainty avoidance or low uncertainty avoidance, monochronic or polychronic, linear thinking or systemic thinking, masculine or feminine), and they must address these different cultural expectations accordingly.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003036, ucf:48333
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003036

Title: WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT INTERPERSONAL SKILLS? A META-ANALYTIC EXAMINATION OF ANTECEDENTS, OUTCOMES, AND THE EFFICACY OF TRAINING.
Creator: Klein, Cameron, Salas, Eduardo, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Despite extensive statements about the importance of possessing good interpersonal skills, little quantitative evidence has been brought forth to investigate these claims. At the same time, training in soft, or interpersonal, skills continues for organizational managers, customer service representatives, and members of formal work teams. Based on these considerations, the current research was guided by five broad questions. First, are gender and the Big Five personality variables important...
Show moreDespite extensive statements about the importance of possessing good interpersonal skills, little quantitative evidence has been brought forth to investigate these claims. At the same time, training in soft, or interpersonal, skills continues for organizational managers, customer service representatives, and members of formal work teams. Based on these considerations, the current research was guided by five broad questions. First, are gender and the Big Five personality variables important predictors in the use and effectiveness of interpersonal skills? Second, what is the relationship between various interpersonal skills and important personal and workplace outcomes? Third, given that training in interpersonal skills is prevalent in organizations today, does this training work? Further, and perhaps more importantly, under what conditions do these training interventions result in optimal outcomes? Lastly, does job complexity moderate the relationship between interpersonal skills and outcomes? To answer these questions, a series of meta-analytic investigations was conducted. The results of these analyses provided evidence for the existence of meaningful antecedents of interpersonal skills. In addition, relationships between interpersonal skills and outcomes were identified, with hypotheses in this area confirmed. The results of this research demonstrate the beneficial impact of interpersonal skills training for improving interpersonal skills. Finally, in line with predictions, job complexity was identified as a moderator of the relationship between interpersonal skills and outcomes. The current document concludes with recommendations both for researchers interested in furthering the science of interpersonal skills research, and for practitioners charged with improving the interpersonal skills of their workforce.
Show less
Date Issued: 2009
Identifier: CFE0002642, ucf:48221
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0002642

Title: INCREASING PARENTAL AWARENESS AND MONITORING: THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVALUATION OF A WEB-BASED PROGRAM TO EMPOWER PARENTS TO REDUCE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL USE.
Creator: Brown, Pamela, Dunn, Michael, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Parent attitudes about underage alcohol use and parent monitoring of the activities of their adolescent children have been found to be directly related to the likelihood of underage alcohol use. Unfortunately, there are relatively few programs or resources available to parents to assist them to reduce their childrenÃ‚Â's potential for early and problematic alcohol involvement. In an effort to address this need, the present project entailed the development and evaluation...
Show moreParent attitudes about underage alcohol use and parent monitoring of the activities of their adolescent children have been found to be directly related to the likelihood of underage alcohol use. Unfortunately, there are relatively few programs or resources available to parents to assist them to reduce their childrenÃ‚Â's potential for early and problematic alcohol involvement. In an effort to address this need, the present project entailed the development and evaluation of a web-based psychoeducational program entitled, Increasing Parental Awareness and Monitoring (iPAM). This online program begins to fill the gap in effective and convenient programming focused on development of parent skills and awareness. The content of the program is based on parenting factors that have been consistently found to correspond to underage alcohol use. The format includes engaging and interactive components that function to promote increased parent knowledge of the problem of underage drinking. In addition, the program is designed to alter permissive or ambivalent attitudes regarding underage alcohol use, and increase parental behaviors that have shown to be effective in reducing youth alcohol involvement. A randomized controlled trial was conducted (n = 34 control; n = 33 experimental) with parents of adolescents in Central Florida who were asked to complete measures before exposure to the program and again approximately one month later. Findings revealed significant differences between the iPAM group and the control group. Specifically, an increase in parent knowledge about underage alcohol use and increased parental monitoring of their adolescent children was revealed. There was also a main effect for time with regard to increased parent-child communication about alcohol. Additionally, while both groups revealed increased communication, the experimental group revealed greater frequency of communication about alcohol although not significantly.
Show less
Date Issued: 2010
Identifier: CFE0003389, ucf:48454
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003389

Title: COMPARING MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE GULF OIL SPILL IN THE US AND UK: IMPLICATIONS FOR GLOBAL CRISIS COMMUNICATION.
Creator: Crytzer, Sarah, Coombs, Timothy, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: The following research is a content analysis of 114 articles written by the American and British news media outlets in the first month following the BP Gulf oil spill in April 2010. The goal of the research was to identify any dominant frames evident in the reports and to compare the two countries to see if there was a difference in the dominant frames used. Positive, negative, and neutral tones were also evaluated to determine if there was a difference between the countries. The results show...
Show moreThe following research is a content analysis of 114 articles written by the American and British news media outlets in the first month following the BP Gulf oil spill in April 2010. The goal of the research was to identify any dominant frames evident in the reports and to compare the two countries to see if there was a difference in the dominant frames used. Positive, negative, and neutral tones were also evaluated to determine if there was a difference between the countries. The results show that both countries reports predominantly used an ecology and action frame, while British media outlets also used an economic frame. Both countries reported with primarily a negative and neutral tone. The implications of these findings for crisis communication managers are discussed.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003890, ucf:48743
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003890

Title: USING NARRATIVE TO IMPROVE REFLECTION IN TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION.
Creator: Brkich, Carrie, Flammia, Madelyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This thesis explores why instructors should use narrative intentionally and effectively with reflection to better understand adult students' perceptions of experiential learning activities in technical communication. The frequent use of narrative in technical discourse reminds us that the tone of technical texts is often appropriately informal, personable, and reflective. A closer analysis of narratives provides instructors with valuable opportunities to learn more about the motivations for...
Show moreThis thesis explores why instructors should use narrative intentionally and effectively with reflection to better understand adult students' perceptions of experiential learning activities in technical communication. The frequent use of narrative in technical discourse reminds us that the tone of technical texts is often appropriately informal, personable, and reflective. A closer analysis of narratives provides instructors with valuable opportunities to learn more about the motivations for and barriers to learning for adult students and to better understand how these students situate themselves in larger social and cultural narratives. Narrative serves many purposes in technical communication. Not only does narrative add a human element to technical discourse, but it also invites interrogation and inquiry into the technical communicator's decision-making process. For these reasons, narrative is commonly paired with reflection exercises in experiential learning programs as a way for students to make sense of their learning experiences. If instructors can capture the essence of how adult students make sense of their learning experiences, they can determine if experiential learning is an effective pedagogical approach to teaching technical communication to adult students. Using examples of ongoing, initial and summative, and alternative reflection exercises, I illustrate how narrative can be used to facilitate the learning process in adult students and gain access to these students' perceptions of experiential learning activities in technical communication.
Show less
Date Issued: 2011
Identifier: CFE0003695, ucf:48827
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0003695

Title: Help me be healthy: Perceptions of social support in an online weight loss program.
Creator: Davies, Brittany, Sandoval, Jennifer, Neuberger, Lindsay, Hastings, Sally, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: As technology changes, so do the ways in which we receive information, provide information and interact with one another. The exchange of social support is increasingly mediated by technology in the realm of health, nutrition, and fitness (Dahl, et al 2015; Wright et al 2011). Commercial weight loss and healthy lifestyle initiatives such as the Beachbody programs incorporate social media and web applications to reach a broader consumer base with individualized programming options. The present...
Show moreAs technology changes, so do the ways in which we receive information, provide information and interact with one another. The exchange of social support is increasingly mediated by technology in the realm of health, nutrition, and fitness (Dahl, et al 2015; Wright et al 2011). Commercial weight loss and healthy lifestyle initiatives such as the Beachbody programs incorporate social media and web applications to reach a broader consumer base with individualized programming options. The present study, guided by optimal matching theory and the helper theory principle, employed online participant-observation and in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Beachbody coaches and participants to investigate how these individuals perceived social support to be enacted in these programs as well as the perceived benefits and challenges of participating in these online groups. The interview transcripts were coded using thematic analysis to identify significant topics based on Owen's (1984) process of identifying recurrence, repetition, and forcefulness. Major benefits for participants included accountability, around the clock access to feedback, and access to a wide range of information. Noted challenges included the lack of personal connection and a need to maintain face-to-face relationships, difficulty sustaining motivation, and financial concerns. Cultivating a genuine feeling of community to facilitate open discussion and sharing was often inconsistent and a challenge to maintain throughout the duration of the program. This study aims to expand our understanding of social support in the context of online fitness and nutrition programs with potential to guide further research in technology-mediated support and how it may affect health. By broadening our understanding of the benefits of online support and how individuals have overcome its challenges in this context, it may help provide direction for the development of future research and similar online health initiatives.
Show less
Date Issued: 2018
Identifier: CFE0007567, ucf:52574
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0007567

Title: An Examination of Serial Arguing and Marital Satisfaction in Premarital Cohabiters and Direct Marriers.
Creator: Reymann, Rachel, Weger, Harry, Hastings, Sally, Neuberger, Lindsay, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Negative communication behaviors that occur prior to marriage often continue into marriage without proper intervention (i.e. marriage counseling). One such communication behavior is the serial argument (i.e. an argument that occurs and reoccurs over time). The topics that married couples argue about offer a unique insight to the health of one's relationship. The present study examined differences between 124 individuals, 93 who cohabited with their spouse prior to marriage and 31 who did not,...
Show moreNegative communication behaviors that occur prior to marriage often continue into marriage without proper intervention (i.e. marriage counseling). One such communication behavior is the serial argument (i.e. an argument that occurs and reoccurs over time). The topics that married couples argue about offer a unique insight to the health of one's relationship. The present study examined differences between 124 individuals, 93 who cohabited with their spouse prior to marriage and 31 who did not, in both the topics and frequency of serial arguments and overall martial satisfaction. The results indicated that there was no difference in frequency (number of topics, within each topic, overall frequency) of serial arguments between both groups. However, individuals who did not live with their spouse prior to marriage experienced lower levels of marital satisfaction when engaged in conflict regarding certain topics than did premarital cohabiters.
Show less
Date Issued: 2016
Identifier: CFE0006167, ucf:51154
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006167

Title: On Copyright Law: What Technical Communicators Need to Know.
Creator: Chao, Mariana, Jones, Daniel, Cavanagh, Thomas, Flammia, Madelyn, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Copyright law, in general, is a multi-faceted and sometimes difficult to understand process. Although it is law, it is often not straight-forward and cannot be applied universally. While the concepts of copyright infringement and plagiarism may sometimes overlap, many confuse one for the other or think they are the same offense. This thesis is intended to serve as a primer to some basic aspects of copyright law for technical communicators, including issues surrounding public domain works, the...
Show moreCopyright law, in general, is a multi-faceted and sometimes difficult to understand process. Although it is law, it is often not straight-forward and cannot be applied universally. While the concepts of copyright infringement and plagiarism may sometimes overlap, many confuse one for the other or think they are the same offense. This thesis is intended to serve as a primer to some basic aspects of copyright law for technical communicators, including issues surrounding public domain works, the fair use doctrine, the copyright clearance process, as well as why we should be concerned about our current copyright laws.Over the past few decades, Congress has increased the number of copyright extensions, and these extensions are pushing out works that were to expire into the public domain. This thesis provides details about the growing copyright reform movement to explore the possibilities of making our culture more egalitarian and democratic when it comes to the exchange of ideas and information. Those who support copyright reform believe current copyright laws increasingly favor corporations and special interest groups rather than the public, and insist on a balance in copyright laws to loosen some of the restrictions.This thesis illustrates the importance of the knowledge of copyright and its associated laws for technical communicators especially in these current times. With the growth of the Internet within the last 20 years, some of the core concepts of how copyright works for the analog age present some challenges when translated into our digital age. Young professionals (-) particularly those working in web-based media (-) are faced with some contradicting ideas on copyright, sharing, and piracy, especially when surrounded by peers who perpetuate incorrect notions about these topics. Technical communicators also need to be aware of the risks they run if they choose to ignore the law (or choose to remain ignorant of it), but, on a deeper level, they also need be prepared to deal with the philosophical and ethical inquiries that tie into the concept of copyright. This thesis also provides practical applications of the knowledge of copyright laws for technical communicators.
Show less
Date Issued: 2014
Identifier: CFE0005147, ucf:50700
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005147

Title: Optical Fibers for Space-Division Multiplexed Transmission and Networking.
Creator: Xia, Cen, Li, Guifang, Moharam, Jim, Abouraddy, Ayman, Christodoulides, Demetrios, Wu, Thomas, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Single-mode fiber transmission can no longer satisfy exponentially growing capacity demand. Space-division multiplexing (SDM) appears to be the only way able to dramatically improve the transmission capacity, for which, novel optical fiber is one of the key technologies. Such fibers must possess the following characteristics: 1) high mode density per cross-sectional area and 2) low crosstalk or low modal differential group delay (DMGD) to reduce complexity of digital signal processing. In...
Show moreSingle-mode fiber transmission can no longer satisfy exponentially growing capacity demand. Space-division multiplexing (SDM) appears to be the only way able to dramatically improve the transmission capacity, for which, novel optical fiber is one of the key technologies. Such fibers must possess the following characteristics: 1) high mode density per cross-sectional area and 2) low crosstalk or low modal differential group delay (DMGD) to reduce complexity of digital signal processing. In this dissertation, we explore the design and characterization of three kinds of fibers for SDM: few-mode fiber (FMF), few-mode multi-core fiber (FM-MCF) and coupled multi-core fiber (CMCF) as well as their applications in transmission and networking.For the ultra-high density need of SDM, we have proposed the FMMCF. It combines advantages of both the FMF and MCF. The challenge is the inter-core crosstalk of the high-order modes. By applying a hole-assisted structure and careful fiber design, the LP11 crosstalk has been suppressed down to -40dB per km. This allows separate transmission on LP01 and LP11 modes without penalty. In fact, a robust SDM transmission up to 200Tb/s has been achieved using this fiber.To overcome distributed modal crosstalk in conjunction with DMGD, supermodes in CMCFs have been proposed. The properties of supermodes were investigated using the coupled-mode theory. The immediate benefits include high mode density and large effective area. In supermode structures, core-to-core coupling is exploited to reduce modal crosstalk or minimize DMGD. In addition, higher-order supermodes have been discovered in CMCFs with few-mode cores. We show that higher-order supermodes in different waveguide array configurations can be strongly affected by angle-dependent couplings, leading to different modal fields. Analytical solutions are provided for linear, rectangular and ring arrays. Higher-order modes have been observed for the first time using S2 imaging method.Finally, we introduce FMF to gigabit-capable passive optical networks (GPON). By replacing the conventional splitter with a photonic lantern, upstream combining loss can be eliminated. Low crosstalk has been achieved by a customized mode-selective photonic lantern carefully coupled to the FMF. We have demonstrated the first few-mode GPON system with error-free performance over 20-km 3-mode transmission using a commercial GPON system carrying live Ethernet traffic. We then scale the 3-mode GPON system to 5-mode, which resulted in a 4dB net gain in power budget in comparison with current commercial single-mode GPON systems.
Show less
Date Issued: 2015
Identifier: CFE0005910, ucf:50827
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005910

Title: Distributed Extremum Seeking and Cooperative Control for Mobile Cooperative Communication Systems.
Creator: Alabri, Said, Qu, Zhihua, Wei, Lei, Vosoughi, Azadeh, Atia, George, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: In this thesis, a distributed extremum seeking and cooperative control algorithm is designed for mobile agents to dispersethemselves optimally in maintaining communication quality and maximizing their coverage. The networked mobile agentslocally form a virtual multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, and they cooperatively communicateamong them by using the decode and forward cooperative communication technique. The outage probability is usedas the measure of communication...
Show moreIn this thesis, a distributed extremum seeking and cooperative control algorithm is designed for mobile agents to dispersethemselves optimally in maintaining communication quality and maximizing their coverage. The networked mobile agentslocally form a virtual multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system, and they cooperatively communicateamong them by using the decode and forward cooperative communication technique. The outage probability is usedas the measure of communication quality, and it can be estimated real-time. A general performance index balancing outageprobability and spatial dispersion is chosen for the overall system. The extremum seeking control approachis used to estimate and optimize the value of the performance index, and the cooperative formation control is applied tomove the mobile agents to achieve the optimal solution by using only the locally-available information. Through theintegration of cooperative communication and cooperative control, network connectivity and coverage of the mobile agentsare much improved when compared to either non-cooperative communication approaches or other existing control results.Analytical analysis is carried out to demonstrate the performance and robustness of the proposal methodology, andsimulation is done to illustrate its effectiveness.
Show less
Date Issued: 2013
Identifier: CFE0005082, ucf:50744
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005082

Title: Effects of symbol type on naming and identification of graphic symbols by typically developing three, four, five and six-year olds children.
Creator: Resnick, Pamela, Kent-Walsh, Jennifer, Schwartz, Jamie, Zraick, Richard, Bai, Haiyan, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Speech-language pathologists and educators face unique challenges in assessing the language skills of children with complex communication needs due to the wide array of impairments with which these individuals present. For example, most receptive language assessment tools require that children either point to or label line drawings to determine whether or not they comprehend the depicted concepts; task demands such as these preclude administering such assessment tools with children who are...
Show moreSpeech-language pathologists and educators face unique challenges in assessing the language skills of children with complex communication needs due to the wide array of impairments with which these individuals present. For example, most receptive language assessment tools require that children either point to or label line drawings to determine whether or not they comprehend the depicted concepts; task demands such as these preclude administering such assessment tools with children who are unable to physically point to or verbally label presented stimuli. In light of these challenges, the use of eye tracking technologies has become particularly appealing since this alternate response mode reduces the behavioral demands associated with standardized assessment procedures. Another challenge clinicians and educators face as they strive to ensure accurate receptive language assessment results with children who have complex communication needs is the type of stimuli utilized in such assessments. When individuals with cognitive delays are presented with stimuli that may not be comprehensible to them, there is a risk of under-estimating language comprehension abilities (Emerson, 2003). Given the documented challenges that individuals with disabilities often have in identifying constructs depicted by the types of line drawings typically included in receptive language assessment tools (e.g., Mirenda (&) Locke, 1989; Mizuko, 1987), there is a critical need to include recognizable stimuli in assessment tools in order to determine this population's true receptive language capabilities. Beyond this potential to improve the validity of receptive language assessments, improvement in assessment practices such as these also have potential positive implications for effective AAC technology selection and AAC treatment planning.The current investigation examined the effect of symbol type (color photograph symbols1 vs. SymbolStix(&)copy;2 color line drawing symbols) on identification and naming of graphic symbols for nouns, verbs and adjectives in typically developing three, four, five and six-year old children. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with counterbalance for experimental stimuli (color photograph symbols1 vs. SymbolStix(&)copy;2 symbols) and task (identification task vs. naming task). Eighty-nine participants completed the identification and naming tasks with both examined symbol types (color photograph symbols1 vs. SymbolStix(&)copy;2 symbols) on two different days. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) was used to examine the effects of symbol type on both accuracy and rate of identification, and on accuracy of naming. Bivariate correlation was completed to determine the relationship between participants' touch and eye identification rates, and to determine the relationship between identification accuracy and eye rate. Mean scores revealed that all participants achieved higher accuracy for the identification and naming tasks with color photograph symbols1, and that participants evidenced faster touch and eye identification rates for the color photograph symbol1 condition. These findings suggest that color photograph symbols1 are more transparent and thus more easily identifiable. Therefore, potential future assessment modifications include the incorporation of color photograph symbols1 as stimuli and eye gaze as a selection option within AAC assessment tools. Overall, results of this study have the potential to change the way speech-language pathologists and educators assess the receptive language skills of children with complex communication needs to yield more accurate assessment results.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006909, ucf:51701
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006909

Title: REDUCING SIDE-SWEEP ACCIDENTS WITH VEHICLE-to-VEHICLECOMMUNICATIONS.
Creator: Bulumulle, Gamini, Boloni, Ladislau, Sundaram, Kalpathy, Chatterjee, Mainak, Yuksel, Murat, Goldiez, Brian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: This dissertation present contributions to the understanding of the causes of a side-sweep accidents on multi-lane highways using computer simulation. Side-sweep accidents are one of the major causes of loss of life and property damage on highways. This type of accident is caused by a driver initiating a lane change while another vehicle is blocking the road in the target lane.Our objective in the research described in this dissertation was to understand and simulate the different factors...
Show moreThis dissertation present contributions to the understanding of the causes of a side-sweep accidents on multi-lane highways using computer simulation. Side-sweep accidents are one of the major causes of loss of life and property damage on highways. This type of accident is caused by a driver initiating a lane change while another vehicle is blocking the road in the target lane.Our objective in the research described in this dissertation was to understand and simulate the different factors which affect the likelihood of side sweep accidents. For instance, we know that blind spots, parts of the road that are not visible to the driver directly or through the rear-view mirrors are often a contributing factor. Similarly, the frequency with which a driver checks his rear-view mirrors before initiating the lane change affects the likelihood of the accident. We can also have an intuition that side-sweep accidents are more likely if there is a significant difference in the vehicle velocities between the current and the target lanes. There are also factors that can reduce the likelihood of the accident: for instance, the signaling of the lane change by the driver can alert the nearby vehicles about the lane change, and they can change their behaviors to give way to the lane changing vehicle. The emerging technology of vehicle-to-vehicle communication offers promising new avenues to avoid such collisions by making vehicles communicate the lane change intent and their positions, such that automatic action can be taken to avoid the accident.While we can have an intuition about whether some factors increase or reduce accident rate, these factors interact with each other in complex ways. The research described in this dissertation developed a highway driving simulator specialized for the accurate simulation of the various factors which contribute to the act of lane change in highway driving. We are modeling the traffic as seen from the lane changing vehicle, including the density, distribution and relative velocity of the vehicles on the target lane. We are also modeling the geometry of the vehicle, including size, windows, mirrors, and blind spots. Moving to the human factors of the simulation, we are modeling the behavior of the driver with regards to the times of checking the mirrors, signalling and making the lane change decision. Finally, we are also modeling communication, both using the traditional way using the turn signals, as well as through means of automated vehicle to vehicle communication.The detailed modeling of these factors allowed us to perform extensive simulation studies that allow us to study the impact of various factors on the probability of side-sweep accidents.We validated the simulation models by comparing the results with the real-world observations of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. One of the benefits of our model is that it allows the modeling of the impact of vehicle to vehicle communication, a technology currently in prototype stage, that cannot be studied in extensive real world scenarios.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006570, ucf:51317
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006570

Title: An Analysis of Robot-Assisted Social-Communication Instruction for Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Creator: Donehower, Claire, Vasquez, Eleazar, Dieker, Lisa, Marino, Matthew, Correa, Vivian, University of Central Florida
Abstract / Description: Social and communication deficits are a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and impact an individual's ability to be a full participant in their school environment and community. The increase in number of students with ASD in schools combined with the use of ineffective interventions have created a critical need for quality social-communication instruction in schools for this population. Technology-based interventions, like robots, have the potential to greatly impact students...
Show moreSocial and communication deficits are a core feature of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and impact an individual's ability to be a full participant in their school environment and community. The increase in number of students with ASD in schools combined with the use of ineffective interventions have created a critical need for quality social-communication instruction in schools for this population. Technology-based interventions, like robots, have the potential to greatly impact students with disabilities, including students with ASD who tend to show increased interest and engagement in technology-based tasks and materials. While research on the use of robots with these learners is limited, these technologies have been successfully used to teach basic social-communication skills. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a social-communication intervention for young children with ASD that is rooted in evidence-based practices and utilizes a surrogate interactive robot as the primary interventionist. This study utilized a multiple baseline design across behaviors to determine the impact of the robot-assisted intervention on the manding, tacting, and intraverbal skills of four, 3-year old students with ASD. The researchers found that this intervention was effective in increasing the rate of all three the target behaviors.
Show less
Date Issued: 2017
Identifier: CFE0006736, ucf:51852
Format: Document (PDF)
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0006736

communication (34)	+ -
Communication (22)	+ -
technical communication (19)	+ -
technical writing (7)	+ -
Technical Communication (6)	+ -

gender (6)	+ -
mass communication (6)	+ -
communications (5)	+ -
social media (5)	+ -
computer-mediated communication (4)	+ -
health (4)	+ -
media (4)	+ -
nonverbal communication (4)	+ -
rhetoric (4)	+ -
Communications (3)	+ -
Facebook (3)	+ -
Twitter (3)	+ -
UWB (3)	+ -
content analysis (3)	+ -
crisis communication (3)	+ -
diffusion of innovations (3)	+ -
online (3)	+ -
usability (3)	+ -
AAC (2)	+ -
Anxiety (2)	+ -
Coherent Detection (2)	+ -
Collaboration (2)	+ -
College Students (2)	+ -
Communication of technical information (2)	+ -
Conflict (2)	+ -

ETD Collection (172)	+ -
Honors Collection (25)	+ -

University of Central Florida (193)	+ -
Flammia, Madelyn (16)	+ -
Miller, Ann (13)	+ -
Hastings, Sally (12)	+ -
Sandoval, Jennifer (11)	+ -

Weger, Harry (11)	+ -
Jones, Daniel (10)	+ -
Applen, John (9)	+ -
Jones, Dan (9)	+ -
Li, Guifang (8)	+ -
Bowdon, Melody (6)	+ -
Dombrowski, Paul (6)	+ -
Neuberger, Lindsay (6)	+ -
Pourmohammadi Fallah, Yaser (6)	+ -
Yuksel, Murat (6)	+ -
Dieker, Lisa (5)	+ -
Cavanagh, Thomas (4)	+ -
Coombs, Timothy (4)	+ -
Engineering (4)	+ -
Katt, James (4)	+ -
Kent-Walsh, Jennifer (4)	+ -
Musambira, George (4)	+ -
Renk, Kimberly (4)	+ -
Sellnow, Deanna (4)	+ -
Sellnow, Timothy (4)	+ -
Cintron Delgado, Rosa (3)	+ -
Hancock, Peter (3)	+ -
Jentsch, Florian (3)	+ -
Kinnally, William (3)	+ -
Malocha, Donald (3)	+ -

Search In

Pages

Pages

Sort Results By:

Narrow results by:

Topical Subject

Collection

Type of Resource

Language

Creator

Format

Owner