Thesis (doctoral)--Lärarhögskolan i Stockholm, 2006. / "Doctoral dissertation 2006"--Half title verso. Includes bibliographical references (p. 256-269).

The book of 1-2 Samuel, originally one scroll, is an episodic narrative recounting how the ancient Israelite monarchy was established around 1000 BC by the prophet Samuel and the kings Saul and David. For well over a century historical critics have sought to discern the process of its composition, proposing various conclusions with little consensus. Presently it is generally believed that several blocks of traditional material on common themes (e.g. the History of David's Rise) were brought together in the later pre-exilic period as part of the so-called Deuteronomistic History. This thesis chooses to begin with the present limits of 1-2 Samuel (without including, for example, 1Kgs 1-2), and undertakes to apply rhetorical analysis to all fifty-five chapters, episode by episode, each in its final-form position. The particular structural technique that has been discerned throughout this book is inverted parallelism with an unparalleled centre, here termed 'concentrism'. The unique contributions of this thesis are firstly a careful methodology for concentrism in Hebrew narrative, based on Hebrew poetic and oral composition and proposing specific criteria for identifying and verifying such structures. Secondly, the thesis attempts to account for the current position of every episode in the book, discerning how each contributes to the larger work as regards literary structure and rhetorical message. The resulting arrangement demonstrates an overall unity of technique and authorial perspective, focused on the themes of prophecy (hence the thesis title), deliverance from military attack, religious devotion and dynastic succession. The centre of this thesis therefore provides a detailed description of the discovered structure, one chapter for each of the book's two primary segments (1Sam 1 - 2Sam 6; 2Sam 7-24). A lengthy preceding chapter addresses various theoretical issues often raised relating to such concentric patterns (often inadequately labelled 'chiasmus'/'chiastic'). A summary chapter likewise follows the central chapters, revisiting themes of the methodology and drawing conclusions together. An initial chapter outlines past and present compositional theories, and a concluding chapter suggests further avenues of future research.

O planejamento e o manejo do pastejo em sistemas de produção animal em pastagens utiliza como informação essencial valores de massa, produção e taxas de acúmulo de forragem. Esses valores podem ser determinados de maneira rápida e ágil através de uma simples régua graduada em centímetros ou equipamentos mais sofisticados como o prato ascendente, embora resultados experimentais utilizando esses procedimentos sejam bastante escassos para plantas de ambiente tropical. O presente trabalho avaliou esses dois métodos de estimativa de massa de forragem em área de pastagem formada pelos cultivares Florakirk, Tifton 85 e Coastcross de Cynodon spp.. Pastos formados por cada um dos cultivares foram mantidos a 5, 10, 15 e 20 cm de altura através de lotação contínua e taxa de lotação variável, seguindo um delineamento experimental de blocos completos ao acaso com 4 repetições. Durante 12 meses foram geradas curvas de calibração entre altura do pasto, medida por cada um dos dois métodos, e a massa de forragem correspondente. Como resultado foram geradas quatro curvas de calibração do tipo y = a + bx para cada cultivar (y = massa de forragem em Kg MS/ha e x = altura do pasto), uma para cada época do ano (primavera, verão, outono e inverno). De forma geral os valores de intercepto (a) foram os mais influenciados por cultivar e época do ano, com uma variação apenas modesta nos valores de coeficiente angular (b). Essa variação esteve relacionada com modificações da estrutura do dossel dos pastos, particularmente a proporção de material morto. Os métodos não diferiram em precisão, porém o prato ascendente mostrou-se um método mais rápido e ágil. Concluiu-se que apesar das similaridades entre os cultivares estudados, a calibração dos métodos deve ser específica para cada cultivar e realizada frequentemente para que as equações geradas sejam precisas e robustas, de forma a permitir a obtenção de valores confiáveis de estimativas de massa de forragem. / Grazing management and planning of animal production systems from pastures are essentially based on estimates of herbage mass, production and accumulation rates. These values can be rapidly determined with a sward stick and rising plate meter, although experimental results generated this way are scarce for tropical forage plants. The present experiment evaluated both methods for estimating herbage mass in pasture areas formed by Florakirk, Tifton 85 and Coastcross Cynodon spp. cultivars. Paddocks of each of the cultivars were maintained at 5, 10, 15 and 20 cm sward surface height through continuous stocking and variable stocking rate, according to a complete randomised block design with four replications. Over twelve months, calibration equations of stick and plate sward height versus the correspondent herbage mass were generated. As a result, four y = a + bx type calibration equations (y = herbage mass - kg DM/ha and x = sward height) were obtained, one for each season of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter). Generally, most of the variation among cultivars and seasons occurred in intercept values (a) and less with slope values (b). This variation was related to modifications in sward structure, particularly in dead material content. The methods did not differ in precision, although the rising plate meter proved to be faster and more agile. Despite the similarities among cultivars, calibration of both methods must be specific for each cultivar and carried out regularly in order to result in precise and robust equations capable of generating reliable estimates of herbage mass.

The Storytellers' Journeys: A Study Using Portraiture Method is an in-depth study of three highly recognized storytellers, Michael Lacapa, Patricia Preciado Martin, and Joe Hayes. These artists were studied using a qualitative research method developed by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot called portraiture. Portraitists study individuals to record their experiences and to interpret their perspectives. The main purpose of the study was to determine the extent to which professional struggles were considered barriers, preventing access to a career or to career goals. I developed questions that allowed me to gather information concerning the storytellers' professional struggles and their style of dealing with those struggles. I also probed for their individual definition of success, the measuring stick they use as a determination of their success, and if they relied on perseverance to reach their level of success. I tape-recorded interviews with the storytellers in order to transcribe them. I acquired supplemental data by attending the storytellers' public performances and by referring to published information about them. After critically reviewing the data I organized it into thematic areas. Each of the storytellers was treated individually. Lawrence-Lightfoot says, "The development of emergent themes reflects the portraitist's first efforts to bring interpretive insight, analytic scrutiny, and aesthetic order to the collection of data" (1997c, pg. 185). Initially, the three artists said that they did not have to contend with professional obstacles to reach their level of success. However, the analysis of the in-depth interviews showed that all the storytellers dealt with professional complications, but they did not allow those complications to interfere with their goals. In fact, one of the artists merely cited those situations as "dues that needed to be paid." Because the portraiture method encourages researchers to include themselves in their studies, I became the fourth storyteller in the project. I did the same introspective process about my careers that I asked of the other storytellers. My self-analysis supported some of the results I obtained from the other artists but it also showed some differences. These differences are explored in the dissertation.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, March, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M A(Counselling Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references. Available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio University, June, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Katherine C. Grier, Winterthur Program in Early American Culture. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of History, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF document. Includes bibliographical references (p. 57-63).

O planejamento e o manejo do pastejo em sistemas de produção animal em pastagens utiliza como informação essencial valores de massa, produção e taxas de acúmulo de forragem. Esses valores podem ser determinados de maneira rápida e ágil através de uma simples régua graduada em centímetros ou equipamentos mais sofisticados como o prato ascendente, embora resultados experimentais utilizando esses procedimentos sejam bastante escassos para plantas de ambiente tropical. O presente trabalho avaliou esses dois métodos de estimativa de massa de forragem em área de pastagem formada pelos cultivares Florakirk, Tifton 85 e Coastcross de Cynodon spp.. Pastos formados por cada um dos cultivares foram mantidos a 5, 10, 15 e 20 cm de altura através de lotação contínua e taxa de lotação variável, seguindo um delineamento experimental de blocos completos ao acaso com 4 repetições. Durante 12 meses foram geradas curvas de calibração entre altura do pasto, medida por cada um dos dois métodos, e a massa de forragem correspondente. Como resultado foram geradas quatro curvas de calibração do tipo y = a + bx para cada cultivar (y = massa de forragem em Kg MS/ha e x = altura do pasto), uma para cada época do ano (primavera, verão, outono e inverno). De forma geral os valores de intercepto (a) foram os mais influenciados por cultivar e época do ano, com uma variação apenas modesta nos valores de coeficiente angular (b). Essa variação esteve relacionada com modificações da estrutura do dossel dos pastos, particularmente a proporção de material morto. Os métodos não diferiram em precisão, porém o prato ascendente mostrou-se um método mais rápido e ágil. Concluiu-se que apesar das similaridades entre os cultivares estudados, a calibração dos métodos deve ser específica para cada cultivar e realizada frequentemente para que as equações geradas sejam precisas e robustas, de forma a permitir a obtenção de valores confiáveis de estimativas de massa de forragem. / Grazing management and planning of animal production systems from pastures are essentially based on estimates of herbage mass, production and accumulation rates. These values can be rapidly determined with a sward stick and rising plate meter, although experimental results generated this way are scarce for tropical forage plants. The present experiment evaluated both methods for estimating herbage mass in pasture areas formed by Florakirk, Tifton 85 and Coastcross Cynodon spp. cultivars. Paddocks of each of the cultivars were maintained at 5, 10, 15 and 20 cm sward surface height through continuous stocking and variable stocking rate, according to a complete randomised block design with four replications. Over twelve months, calibration equations of stick and plate sward height versus the correspondent herbage mass were generated. As a result, four y = a + bx type calibration equations (y = herbage mass - kg DM/ha and x = sward height) were obtained, one for each season of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter). Generally, most of the variation among cultivars and seasons occurred in intercept values (a) and less with slope values (b). This variation was related to modifications in sward structure, particularly in dead material content. The methods did not differ in precision, although the rising plate meter proved to be faster and more agile. Despite the similarities among cultivars, calibration of both methods must be specific for each cultivar and carried out regularly in order to result in precise and robust equations capable of generating reliable estimates of herbage mass.