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THE QUIET GNOSTICISM OF SAMUEL BECKETT’S ENDGAME
Full text linkThis thesis draws on and extends previous Gnostic readings of Samuel Beckett’s fiction which has located the figure of the demiurge mostly in the background and finds through close reading that in Endgame the demiurge takes the foreground.
This thesis proposes that Endgame’s gnosticism goes further than recreating gnostic themes and tropes. Rather, Endgame’s gnosticism fuses the gnostic laughter of the gnostic Christ, Schopenhauerian tragedy, and Quietist paradoxes to create a system of progressive enlightenment which culminates in a revelation evidenced by a laugh that, in Beckett’s Watt, is called the mirthless laugh. This laugh, I propose, is the laugher’s recognition that they play both the demiurge and the trapped gnostic soul to themselves. The demiurge, then, is no longer just in the foreground and background. This gnosticism, I argue, is closer to Beckett’s artistic vision as it incorporates Schopenhauerian concepts of the tragic and the will-to-live
Financial Literacy: An Inside Look on Americans\u27 Investing Habits
Full text linkThere has been a large influx of investment platforms and increasing opportunities over the last century, with investment becoming much more widespread and heavily advertised. It is important for Americans to be knowledgeable about different investing opportunities; thus, this study aims to reveal the different factors that may affect someone’s investing choices. It was anticipated that those with more education and younger people would be more comfortable in and likely to invest and save for retirement. Using an 18-question survey, this study was sent out to United States citizens over the age of 18 through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Receiving 202 responses, the data was then analyzed using SPSS. These findings can be important when addressing the need to focus on teaching older Americans about investing and financial literacy. They also can show that there needs to be more of a focus on informing those with less financial education about the importance of retirement savings. opportunities over the last century, with investment becoming much more widespread and heavily advertised. It is important for Americans to be knowledgeable about different investing opportunities; thus, this study aims to reveal the different factors that may affect someone’s investing choices. It was anticipated that those with more education and younger people would be more comfortable in and likely to invest and save for retirement. Using an 18-question survey, this study was sent out to United States citizens over the age of 18 through Amazon Mechanical Turk. Receiving 202 responses, the data was then analyzed using SPSS. These findings can be important when addressing the need to focus on teaching older Americans about investing and financial literacy. They also can show that there needs to be more of a focus on informing those with less financial education about the importance of retirement savings
Collaboration Against Communism: An Overview of Ukrainian Resistance During the Second World War, UPA
Full text linkDuring and following World War II, the Soviet, and later, Russian Federation enforced the narrative that Ukrainians fighting in the war against the Soviets were Nazis. The author utilized his proficiency in the Ukrainian and Russian languages, conducted research regarding Ukrainian participation in WWII, and concluded that this narrative is largely anti-Ukrainian propaganda. The author’s research focused on the Ukrainian Insurgent Army (UPA) which was formed in 1942 by the Organization of Ukrainian Nationalists (OUN) as a militant wing. The OUN was the center of Ukrainian nationalism starting in 1929, and strove for an independent Ukrainian state. Russian regimes repressed Ukrainian nationalism, which caused many nationalists to turn to the Reich, who promised Ukrainian statehood. After Ukrainians proclaimed independence in 1941, the Nazis jailed leaders and massacred civilians. This research demonstrates that the UPA fought the Nazis between 1943-1945 and the Soviets between 1939 to 1960, for an independent Ukrainian state during World War II, not for Nazism
DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAMS: AN EXPLORATION
Full text linkThis research is an exploration into: 1) the utilization of programs that teach students English as a second language in the US, particularly Dual Language programs, 2) a history of research surrounding the formation of an individual or group identity, both overall and through an ESOL lens, and 3) how ESOL instruction in the US may be impacted by certain aspects of this identity construction.
After a review of research, this dissertation analyzes a cohort of students from the Palm Beach County School District who were enrolled in either a Dual Language program or in a “traditional” ESOL program from FY2017-FY2022. Students were split into four groups: ELL (English Language Learner) Dual Language, non-ELL Dual Language, ELL traditional enrollment, and non-ELL traditional enrollment. These groups end of year examination scores, overall number of passing students, and learning gains were compared, and a small number of student volunteers from all groups completed a survey based on their time in the Dual Language program.
Overall, ELL students who were enrolled in the Dual Language program both scored higher on year-end ELA exams and exhibited higher numbers of students passing these exams than students who were never enrolled in the program. This indicates that enrollment in a Dual Language program positively impacts ELL student scores on end of year ELA exams. Alternatively, non-ELL students enrolled in a Dual Language program scored lower on state Math assessments, though these average level scores did not lower past a passing level until post-COVID, suggesting that further research is required to isolate areas where the district can strengthen support in math instruction. This research spans the years during and succeeding the FY2020 school year, where student learning was moved online and state exams were cancelled due to COVID-19. This test exempt year appears to have had an impact on year-end results. Student survey volunteers were minimal, consequently providing too few results to determine significance, however upon review, students in both programs respond similarly to self-esteem and school belonging questions. This dissertation concludes with a discussion of the study, limitations, and suggestions for future research
A STUDY ON SENTENCE-LEVEL ARGUMENT IDENTIFICATION IN IMBALANCED STUDENT ESSAY CORPORA
Full text linkWriting is an essential skill that affects success in nearly every academic subject and professional field. For undergraduate students, strong writing helps them organize ideas, communicate clearly, and perform better in both written assignments and overall coursework. Good writing also supports critical thinking, which is key to problem-solving and academic growth. Beyond school, writing continues to be important in the workplace, where it is used for emails, reports, presentations, and formal documents. Yet, despite its importance, many students and graduates do not have strong writing skills, and this gap is noticed by employers. A recent survey by Ashley Finley [1] found that while 90% of employers value written communication, only 44% believe graduates are prepared.
At the same time, recent progress in artificial intelligence has made tools like neural language models useful for supporting writing instruction and grading. These models offer faster and more objective ways to assess student writing. In this study, we explore how automated writing assessment can work at the sentence level, focusing on Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) categories used to assess student writing in College Writing 1 and 2 at Florida Atlantic University. We collected final argumentative essays written by students and analyzed them using a neural language model to assess writing quality, at both sentence by sentence level and across the whole essay. Our findings show that the model can recognize patterns in writing and provide useful evaluations, but there are still challenges with scoring consistency. This research shows possible improvements to address these issues and highlight key takeaways from the case study that support using sentence-level assessment in writing instruction
IS INFANT FEAR RELATED TO AN INCREASE IN MATERNAL STRESS?
Full text linkThe impact of infant fear responses on mother stress throughout the first year of life was investigated in this study. Between six and fourteen months, thirty mother-infant pairs were examined at three different time intervals. Maternal responses from the Infant Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (IBQ-R) and behavioral observations made during standardized lab tasks were used to evaluate infant fear. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to measure maternal stress at all time points, and behavioral stress was coded during the first session. The findings showed no overall significant correlation between the mother\u27s subjective stress and the behavioral fear of her infant. However, the growth curve analysis revealed a significant relationship between visit timepoint and infant fear, in which changes in infant age and changes in their fear responses during each condition were related to changes in maternal stress. In particular, mothers of infants who were fearful reported feeling more stressed at visit 2 but less stressed by Visit 3, which may indicate a potential adaptation effect. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between infant fear scores from the IBQ-R and behavior coding, and behavioral mother stress was inversely connected with perceived stress. These results imply that maternal stress is time and context-dependent and subject to change as mothers adapt to the emotional patterns of their infants across development
THE MACROALGAL COMPOSITION DIFFERS AMONG DEPTHS AND ZONES IN CUBAN MESOPHOTIC CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS
Full text linkPreviously the algal community of Cuban mesophotic coral reef ecosystems (MCEs) has not been characterized quantitatively. The objective of this study was to explore the distribution of macroalgae around Cuba and their depth profiles within the mesophotic zone (30−150 m). Data on the algal community were obtained in 2017 during 43 ROV (remotely operated vehicle) dives around Cuba’s shelf. Scientists specializing in algal taxonomy watched the live ROV video on board the ship and recorded algal presence every ~5—10 min in a database. Algae were identified to the lowest possible taxa, and algal presence/absence was analyzed in 20 m depth intervals between 30 and 150 m. Differences in algal composition among zones and depths were observed. Macroalgae were more diverse at shallower depths (30—69 m). Changes in algal composition were observed as depth increased to 89 m; at greater depths, no differences in algal composition were observed. The deepest algae were crustose forms of Chlorophyta and Rhodophyta, capable of capturing the low light levels reaching the bottom. Differences among geographical zones were observed, where the most algal categories (16—22) occurred in the southwest, northwest, and northcentral zones. The least number were in the southcentral zone (10 categories). In addition to their major role as primary producers, mesophotic macroalgae are no doubt important to structuring MCEs in Cuba and merit more study to better elucidate and quantify their multiple roles at these depths
Serial Killer Terminology and Its Effect on Criminal Trials
Full text linkThe terminology used during court proceedings plays a pivotal role in shaping the legal outcomes and sentencing for serial killers. This study examines how specific language, mainly terms such as serial killer, impacts sentencing severity. By analyzing cases involving serial killers and the terminology used, there is a proven correlation between terminology and sentencing. For example, Ted Bundy (30 confirmed murders) and Jeffrey Dahmer (17 confirmed murders) were both investigated by Robert Ressler—who pioneered FBI profiling and coined the term serial killer. The term was extensively used within their trials, impacting their sentencing. This can be compared to John Wayne Gacy (33 confirmed murders and Paul John Knowles (18 confirmed murders); both were not investigated by Ressler and were tried without the use of the term “serial killer” in 1980 and 2003 respectively. The analysis extends to other linguistic elements within court records to uncover discrepancies in legal repercussions among serial killers with similar victim counts. This mixed-methods approach utilizes court records, legal definitions, and trial transcripts to determine how language influences perceptions of culpability and punishment. The findings show that terminology significantly affects sentencing outcomes, highlighting the need for consistent language standards in legal proceedings involving high-profile criminal cases