This study examined the effect of being raised in one-parent and two parent family structures on the academic achievement of students by looking at the test scores of their standardized composite math/reading tests. The study also looks for the possible influence of gender/race and structural factors like socioeconomic status, school‟s geographic location, and economic resources on the test scores of students. Using a sample of students raised in biological one-parent and two-parent family structures from the Educational Longitudinal Survey 2002 dataset, cross-sex theory, resources theory and interpersonal theory have been used to explain the effect for both the full sample and for father-headed one-parent families and mother-headed one-parent families. The research found no significant gender effect on the test scores of students, however, the research result found strong impact for race and socioeconomic status on achievement. Family structure showed moderate effects. Students raised in two-parent families outperform students raised in one-parent families. However, the research findings indicated that socioeconomic status and race are stronger predictors of test scores than family structure. / Thesis (M.A.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Sociology

There has been extensive research on cooperative distributed data caching in ad hoc networks. However, most of the work has focused on how to reduce the average delay of requests and improve the packet delivery ratio, etc; not much work has been done to study the steady-state status achieved by distributed caching algorithms. Information related to steady-state status includes the convergence time of the caching algorithms, the final data cache placement in the network, the stabilized cost performance, and the performance comparison of distributed caching algorithms with an optimal centralized caching solution. Previous theoretical results show that to minimize the average access cost in the network, the optimal number of replicas of each data object is proportional to the square root (or two-thirds) of the data’s access frequency. In this work, we empirically show that the optimal replica number not only depends on the access frequencies of data, but also depends on the storage capacity of each node. We propose a heuristic model studying both cooperative, hybrid, and selfish caching steady-states in ad hoc networks. We formulate and solve the data caching problem optimally using integer linear programming (ILP) in order to validate our findings with regard to access frequency. We also provide empirical data regarding the steady-state cost of data based on the storage capacity of the nodes in the network. Via extensive ns-2 simulations [10], we gain some insight regarding the steady-states of distributed data caching. / Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

This study aims to investigate the effect of marriage on women’s earnings. Using Current Population Survey (CPS) 2010 data, three sets of hypotheses are tested to address the effect of individual level factors, structure level factors and gender/race factors. The results suggest that education, experience, level of occupation, and size of business, among others, are the important factors explaining earnings inequality among women. Marriage has a significant effect on women’s earnings and married women have consistently higher income than unmarried women. Some interesting and striking results of this study hold significant sociological and policy importance. / Thesis (M.A.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Sociology

The purpose of this research is to examine the wage gap that occurs in health care occupations. This project investigates the annual salaries of women who are employed as health care professionals. The secondary data for this research is drawn from the Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social & Economic Supplement (ASEC). The final sample size was 16,884. OLS Regression was used to test the hypotheses proposed in this study. The findings indicate that net of other factors, minority women who work in health care occupations earn less annually than their white counterparts, with the exception of Asians. / Thesis (M.A.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Sociology

Metal cutting induces larger strains and high strain rates within the primary shear zone (PSZ). The study is aimed at understanding the nature of high strain rate deformation of a highly ductile and workhardening material, namely, OFHC copper. Experimental measurements of the strain rate distribution over the primary shear zone (PSZ) have been carried out using digital image correlation (DIC) of ultra high-speed photographic images. A large depth of cut of 300um has been used to increase the width of the shear zone and resolve the deformation clearly. The experiments were carried on OFHC copper specimens with different hardness values and initial grain size. The PSZ is found to be narrower near the tool tip and wider near the free surface. The width of the PSZ for 0.1m/sec and 1m/sec increases from the tool tip to the free surface but for 3.3ms/sec it increases over the first half of its length near the cutting edge and then remains constant over the second half to the free surface. Correspondingly, the strain rate is higher near the tool tip and lower near the free surface. The PSZ for the material with smaller grain size is comprised of multiple shear bands, which are planar regions of material along which the strain is higher than in adjacent regions. The material with larger grain size typically shows a single shear band in the PSZ. Shear bands are observed to initiate near the entrance of the PSZ and remain active till they exit the PSZ. In the case of multiple shear bands, the strain rate over a band increases as it moves towards the middle of the PSZ and then decreases as it moves towards the exit of the PSZ. The mean spacing between bands near the free surface is about 25μm and 50μm for the materials with initial grain size of 30μm and 100μm respectively, which corresponds to the wavelength of the ripples along the back surface of the chip. The bands likely correspond to the strain inhomogeneity usually observed at the level of the grain size, as evidenced by the fact that the free surface of chips is always observed to be rippled. / Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

This quantitative study was designed to investigate whether gifted achievers and gifted underachievers differ in their perceptions of the intrinsic motivation of specific classroom activities and if their motivation as measured by the IMI correlates to academic performance as measured by class grades. The study also investigated which activities are frequently used by teachers of gifted students as well as how motivating they believe each activity is to students. The sample included 21 gifted students in a large urban high school and 10 teachers. The students completed a pre-inventory checklist of activities they believe to be valuable and then completed a Likert-scale inventory. The inventory is an adaptation of the Intrinsic Motivation Scale from the University of Rochester and includes subscales which rate students’ enjoyment, competence, perceived choice, and pressure/tension related to a variety of commonly used classroom activities. Teachers completed a two-part Likert-scale inventory of classroom activities: first to investigate the frequency of use of a number of common classroom activities and then to collect data on the teachers’ assessment of the motivating value of each activity. This study may provide insights between research into motivation theories and research in effective classroom activities and may help teachers provide better classroom conditions for all students, but particularly underachieving gifted students. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--Wichita State University, College of Education, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction

Operational usage analysis and flight loads analysis is performed on one Global Express XRS business jet. A total of 388 useful flights with 1053 hours and 454,254 nm are analyzed. Usage analysis performed during airborne is separated into seven flight phases with information presented for maximum altitude, flight duration, flight distance, indicated airspeed, pitch, bank, and rate of climb. For a majority of the time the XRS is flown within operational limits. The rare occurrence of exceeding operational limits is shown to occur during initial approach, one of the shortest flight segments. Loads analysis is performed for both ground and air operations. Ground operations are separated into five phases with longitudinal, lateral, and incremental vertical load analysis normalized per 1000 flights for these segments. Landing roll is shown to have the most frequent and severe loads for ground phases. Airborne operations are separated into seven flight phases and incremental vertical accelerations are separated into maneuver and gusts using the two second rule. Incremental vertical acceleration is further categorized into discrete and continuous gust velocities normalized per 1000 hours and per nautical mile. Gust velocities are altitude dependent and shown to be more severe and occur more frequently at low altitudes. Continuous turbulence field parameters are derived from continuous gust velocities from cruise and compared to FAR 25 results in the form of generalized exceedance plots. Most of the XRS exceedance curves are shown to lie significantly below those from FAR 25. Data collected from this study can help establish operational and design standards for larger business jets. The statistical data created will help enable the FAA, the manufacturer, and the operator to better understand those factors that influence the structural integrity of these aircraft. / Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Aerospace Engineering

This was a qualitative study that used a phenomenological approach to describe the conscious experiences of adolescents of varying cognitive abilities who have engaged in non-suicidal self- injurious behavior. Its purpose was to identify and analyze patterns or trends, including similarities and dissimilarities, among a sample of adolescents for whom such behavior has been a factor in their early development. This study reports on a sample of adolescents who attend a special day school in central Kansas for students with severe behavioral disorders and who have engaged in deliberate non-suicidal self-injury. Data were gathered through field notes taken during observation of student participants in the school setting, interviews with various stakeholders, and document review of participant/student IEP records. It was found that among students of average ability, cognitively distorted thought- processing and patterns of pervasive invalidating environmental cues form a combination of experiences that are apt to produce an atmosphere of emotional dysregulation conducive to the likelihood of adolescent self-injury. It was also found that among young people with severe intellectual disabilities, the tendency to self-injure is highly communicative in nature and less of a process than a need for immediate gratification or changes in environment. In addition, these needs are often of physiological bearing, more so than among the population without intellectual disability. Limitations of the current study were discussed, as well as needs for continuing research. Finally, best practice recommendations for school-based personnel working with self-injurious adolescents were addressed. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--Wichita State University, College of Education, Dept. of Curriculum and Instruction

The effects of cure temperature variation and hygrothermal conditioning on thermal, physical, and mechanical properties of an out-of-autoclave prepreg were investigated and correlated. To study the effects of cure temperature variation, intermediate-cure temperature, second ramp rate, and post-cure temperature were varied from a recommended two-stage cure cycle. The effects of adverse environmental conditions on the cure temperature variation were studied by conditioning the samples in boiling water and a conditioning chamber. The material’s cure state was monitored using a Different Scanning Calorimeter (DSC), Encapsulated Sample Rheometer (ESR), and Dynamic Mechanical Analyzer (DMA). An ultrasonic C-scan and void content tests were performed to map the void distribution in the cured laminates. The mechanical properties were obtained using Short-Beam Shear (SBS) and Combined Loading Compression (CLC) test methods. A further investigation on failure modes was also done on mechanical tested coupons using the photoanalysis method. The results from the ESR and DSC showed that complex viscosity and degree of cure were changed during cure while the final degree of cure, glass transition temperature, and SBS strength did not show significant difference for intermediate-cure temperature ranging from 99oC to 110oC and second-ramp up rate variation ranging from 1.1oC/min to 2.2oC/min. For post-cure temperature variation from 99oC to 143oC, good correlations were obtained between the material’s cure temperatures, state of cure, and mechanical properties for dry room temperature and hot/wet conditions. The study showed that material’s cure state should be used to define and monitor the cure quality rather than using a time-temperature specification. / Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Engineering, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering.

Additives that enhance the mechanical properties of epoxy resins, by reducing the free volume and thereby restricting the molecular motions, are known as antiplasticizers. Antiplasticizers usually increase the modulus and strength but can decrease the glass transition temperature of the material. A series of oligomeric amide additives were synthesised, that would, when mixed with TGDDM and DDS, react to form strong hydrogen bonds and reduce the free volume in the system. The effect of end group functionality was tested by synthesising both amine terminated and acid terminated additives. The ability of these additives to enhance the mechanical properties of the cured resin was examined by conducting fracture toughness and tensile testing. Results obtained for compact tension specimens and tensile testing specimens were inconclusive due to unavoidable imperfections incurred during specimen preparation. The cure kinetics of the resin was studied using Differential Scanning Calorimetry or DSC. Dynamic temperature scanning DSC indicated that the cure reaction was not affected significantly by these additives. At higher heating rates, as expected, the degree of cure and rate of cure shifted to higher temperatures. Arrhenius type activation energy calculations showed that incorporating amine terminated additive did not significantly increase the activation energy of cure (Ea). However, a significant increase in Ea was observed when the resin was cured with acid terminated additive. DMA and TMA data indicated that the glass transition temperature of the matrix did not show a significant reduction upon addition of the additives to the resin. Thermal degradation of the resin was studied using Thermo Gravimetric Analysis or TGA. Results indicated that the presence of an additive does not affect the thermal stability of the resin. / Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Chemistry