The study was designed to identify how home computers were being used by 200 selected home computer owners living in Richmond, Virginia. The 1984 study identified the expressed problems these owners experienced using home computers and determined what changes or information the owners believed were needed to use the computer more effectively. The most commonly used home computer applications were personal word processing, entertainment, and work related word processing. Many home computer owners indicated that no factor had prevented them from using their computer. Those indicating that some factor had prevented their use, reported the high cost of software, the lack of useful software, and unclear or incorrect instructions presented problems. Males were much more likely than females to be the principal computer user. Consistent with Rogers (1983) diffusion theory, most computer owners did use personal sources during their prepurchase information search. Statistically significant differences existed between the owners satisfaction with hardware and the number of products and services used and between overall satisfaction and the amount spent on software. Significant inverse relationships indicated that those respondents who spent less on hardware and had less random access memory had higher levels of overall satisfaction than those who spent more on hardware and had more random access memory. Recommendations included methods of individualizing service and assistance for owners after the purchase. / Master of Science

The summary of the data was presented in five major divisions: 1. The summary of the background data. 2. The summary and conclusions of the extent of the turnover. 3. The summary and conclusions on the location on the turnover. 4. The summary and conclusions of the effect of marital status and sex on the turnover. 5. The summary and conclusions of financial, administrative, teaching experience and certification, health and normal advancement, and miscellaneous other reasons for the turnover. In summarizing the data and drawing the conclusions the writer adhered to two considerations: (1) The questions of the problem should be clearly answered from the data analyzed. (2) The summary and conclusions should reveal clearly to others the result of methods and questions used in this study, which might prove beneficial in future studies of this kind. / Master of Science

The "Dine To Your Heart's Content" program was assessed from points of view of selected patrons and restaurateurs in Virginia. Restaurateurs were interviewed and patrons responded to a mail questionnaire. Patrons were divided into four groups: 1)those following a heart healthy diet due to a physician's recommendation, 2)those with a self reported family history of heart disease, 3)those expressing interest in heart disease, and 4)those who expressed little or no interest in heart health. The frequencies with which patrons dined away from home, dined in restaurants offering this program, and complied with a heart healthy diet when dining out were analyzed. There were no significant differences among groups relative to these factors. The perceived degree of benefit provided by this program also was investigated. Those expressing little or no interest in heart health reported receiving significantly less benefit from the program than the other groups (p<0.02). Restaurateurs' perceptions of the wants and needs of these patrons and of the advantages and disadvantages of this program were explored. The perceived needs for nutrition training for restaurateurs and their waitstaff also were examined. Ninety-six percent of the restaurateurs expressed a need for nutrition education. Patrons, restaurateurs, and waitstaff were tested for knowledge of food composition relative to fats and oils. The average score was 6.2 out of 13 points with no significant differences in scores among groups. Major recommendations suggested for this program include: l)assistance to restaurateurs in the identification of appropriate menu items and in communicating menu attributes positively, and 2)improved nutritional education for both patrons and waitstaff to increase awareness and understanding of the program. / Master of Science

Two hundred two volunteers and l8 volunteer coordinators within the 25 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) in the Commonwealth of Virginia responded to two separate questionnaires regarding the AAA volunteer network. The survey revealed that the volunteer sample was predominately female, white, married, Protestant, retired, educated beyond high school, and that incomes for over 60% of the sample were below $20,000. Both volunteer and coordinator samples stated that the home delivered meals program involved the highest number of volunteers. The average time spent volunteering was 4.9 hours a week. The economic value of the volunteers' contributions was determined to be over $4 million within the fiscal year just ended, based on the minimum of $3.35. The volunteers reported having been recruited to volunteer in the AAA by friends, newspapers, and senior citizens' centers. Both samples agreed that meetings were the most often used orientation method. Training was most often done on-the-job according to both samples. The majority of coordinators reported using an informal type of evaluation for volunteers in the AAAs. / Master of Science

Effective energy management programs rely upon readily accessible energy consumption information. This thesis presents a Lotus Symphony based microcomputer system developed to monitor, analyze, and report on energy usage for a select group of Virginia state facilities. A review of significant program routines and procedures is presented, along with key assumptions and limitations of the system, and example inputs and outputs. A User's Guide is also included to aid first-time users of Symphony and/or the Energy Monitoring and Reporting System (EMRS). Available system outputs, in the form of spreadsheet printouts and graphs, enable detailing energy consumption patterns for each facility by fuel type for any given year. The capability of outlining the progression of a facility's energy management program is provided by comparison of a given year's energy consumption records to the previous and base (FY 1985-86) years. In addition, facilities with similar operational characteristics were segregated into divisions, providing the capability to rank facilities within divisions based upon several energy consumption criteria. Extensive use of the Symphony Command (or Macro) Language permitted creation of customized, interactive menus, which allows those not familiar with Lotus Symphony to fully utilize the capabilities of the EMRS. / Master of Science

Although the minimum qualifications for election to the American Farmer Degree have remained essentially the same during the last ten years, the actual achievements the candidates for the American Farmer Degree have increased beyond these minimums. / Master of Science

The Abel Lake Reservoir in Stafford County, Virginia, was investigated to evaluate the lake's temporal and spatial dynamics with respect to water quality and water treatment problems. A limnological survey was conducted. The survey included all conventional parameters for the characterization of hydrodynamics and lake-water quality. Abel Lake was found to be a typical temperate-zone lake that stratifies thermally in the summer, and the hypolimnetic water quality subsequently degrades with the depletion of oxygen. The lake then circulates in the fall in a process that begins in the shallow, upstream area of the lake and progresses downstream gradually until the deepest regions have circulated. The circulation process brings poor quality water from the hypolimnion to the surface where it is drawn into the treatment facility and creates treatment problems. Results also show that algal growth and nutrient concentrations were moderate during the study, however, the potential for cultural eutrophication is present should unmonitored development of the watershed occur. / Master of Science

This study was made to determine the guidance needs of former students of vocational agriculture. It was hoped that information gained by this study would be of use to guidance workers in the improvement of guidance services in the high schools, Too, it was hoped that agriculture instructors could use the information in improving the dissemination of occupational information to vocational agriculture students, Further, it was felt that suggestive recommendations based on the findings might be used in the organization and administration of guidance services for in-school-youth. / Master of Science

I examined geomorphology as it relates to wildlife and wildlife habitat I sought to make dimensions of land surface shape (terrain) available for use by natural resource professionals. Most geomorphic processes operate on longer time scales than the life spans of organisms that inhabit a landscape. So, it is the shape of the land surface, not formative processes that are considered in most environmental sciences. Terrain molds and is molded by climate, vegetation, and geology. Terrain influences site-specific temperature, precipitation, solar radiation, and winds. Through these climatic effects, terrain influences the distribution of plant species and plant phenologies. I examined the role of terrain in applied environmental sciences including forestry, soil science, hydrology, and fisheries. Terrain also affects the distribution, movements, energetics, cover, and food habits of wildlife species. I identified 8 parameters of land surface shape: elevation, slope, aspect, relief, length, area, roughness and texture, pattern and shape. From physical science literature, I identified over 120 descriptors of surface shape that measure 1 or more of these parameters. Through an objective-weighting procedure, I selected 60 descriptors to include in a computer-based system for quantifying land surface shape. The resulting system, GEODES, integrates a raster-based GIS, vector mapping programs, and a relational data base management system to present these land surface shape descriptors. Specific applications of individual descriptors and of GEODES are suggested. Individual descriptors or the larger system (GEODES) may be used to reduce variance in wildlife research and management, and to increase managerial control. / Master of Science

Municipal solid waste landfills are convenient means of disposing of society's waste; once closed, they become a liability to the community due to attributes which contribute to soil and water contamination. Regulations state that adequate vegetation be used to maintain the integrity of the soil trash cover. Alternatives to leaving a landfill derelict include establishing meadow-type communities that enrich floristic diversity while providing adequate cover to protect the soil cap over the trash. In 1993, an experimental study was conducted at the Roanoke Regional Landfill where a mixture of native wildflowers and grasses and the standard revegetation mixture were sown on plots on varying aspects at the landfill. In 1993, the plots sown with the native mixture had a higher average species richness than the plots planted with the native mixture. Plots with the standard revegetation mixture had higher cover than plots planted with the native mixture. In 1993 and 1994, an observational study was conducted at the Chancellorsville landfill in Spotsylvania county. Wildflowers had been seeded on part of the landfill in 1992. It was observed that the wildflower mixture decreased in species richness. The areas revegetated with the standard revegetation mixture had high richness due to the presence of invasive plants. Average cover over time was higher in areas planted with the standard revegetation mixture. Without regulations quantifying standards for aboveground cover, other methods should be implemented to determine to what extent revegetation mixtures are maintaining the integrity of a soil cap. / Master of Science